1.3 : 1 Or It’s Tough To Grow A Game Without Places To Grow It

April 19, 2021

Article provided by Craig Kesser, SCGA

One and one-third human beings is what a maxed-out golf course puts on one acre of open space under current COVID restrictions, a 1.3 to 1 ratio that has been the game’s ticket to spectacular success during the pandemic.  It’s the unshakable fact about the game that persuaded public policy makers that golf is among the safest forms of outdoor recreation; indeed, the safest when one considers that unlike other outdoor recreational activities, the business model of golf involves strict control over ingress and egress.

To be 100% accurate, golf doesn’t place 1.3 persons all by themselves on that 1 acre.  Four persons share a hole, which does put them in proximity on tees and greens, but if there is an easier place to guarantee 6 feet of separation than a tee or a green, we’d like to know.

To attend the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open, residents of California must provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination and those from out of state must be fully vaccinated.

Limited Number of Fans For U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club

April 19, 2021

The USGA announced today that the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open Championships will be played with a limited number of fans in attendance. The 76th U.S. Women’s Open will be held at The Olympic Club (Lake Course) in San Francisco from June 3-6, and the 121st U.S. Open will be held at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course), in San Diego from June 17-20.

“Last year, we missed the energy that fans bring to our U.S. Open championships,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director, Championships. “We are grateful to our local and state health and safety officials in California to be in a position to welcome some fans back this year to witness the greatest players in the world contending for these prestigious championships, while working to maintain the health and safety of all involved.”

Those who have already purchased tickets to the U.S. Open will receive a direct communication from the USGA with additional details.

Information on tickets for each championship is available on uswomensopen.com and usopen.com.

In the memo obtained by ESPN, the PGA Tour said while it will not mandate vaccination, it will require those who do not get the shots to still be tested each week for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arrival on-site and at their own expense.

From the NFL to NBA to boxing, there is plenty going on in the sports world. David Purdum and Doug Kezirian take a look at the sports betting landscape.

Our Job is Your Game

2021 Most Wanted Testing is rocking and rolling. Iron testing is in full swing. Today, the results are in for the most comprehensive Player’s Distance Iron Test.

At MyGolfSpy, our job is to provide independent, unbiased and objective testing so you can make more confident purchasing decisions. Our 2021 Most Wanted Player’s Distance Iron Test is an indispensable guide for the off-the-rack buyer or for anyone looking for insight before their next fitting.

Whether you are a scratch or low- to mid-handicap golfer, player’s distance irons appeal to a plethora of golfers. If you’re in the market for a new set of irons, this test is for you.

2021 Most Wanted Player’s Distance Iron: Mizuno MP20 HMB

The 2021 Most Wanted Player’s Distance Iron, the Mizuno MP20 HMB, is a beauty of a club. Distance may not be its forte compared to other irons in this test. However, it proves to be a symbol of playability and consistency, especially in the most important metric of all: Strokes Gained. Here are its rankings:

Stewart Cink is just the fourth player to win twice in the same PGA Tour season after turning 47.

Steve Stricker closed with a 5-under 67 on Sunday, forcing himself ahead of a crowded pack to win this weekend's PGA Tour Champions event in Florida.

United States' John Catlin claimed his third European Tour title in eight months after defeating Germany's Maximilian Kieffer in a thrilling playoff battle at the Austrian Open on Sunday.

Lydia Ko shot a final-round 65 to finish with a tournament-record 28-under 260 and a seven-shot victory at the Lotte Championship.

Stewart Cink maintained his five-stroke lead and set another scoring mark at the RBC Heritage with a 2-under 69 on Saturday, moving closer to his third victory at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Fred Couples rallied late on Saturday, earning a share of the lead with Robert Karlsson in the Chubb Classic in Florida.

Martin Kaymer joined Alejandro Canizares on 9 under par after the third round of the Austrian Open to share the lead as both players seek their first European Tour title since 2014.

Normally we hear the term “JDM” (Japanese Domestic Market) discussing the automotive space. True golf gearheads, however, will also know that it also applies to Japanese golf clubs. Japan is the second largest golf market in the world. As such, they have many brands we don’t hear much about, but produce great golf clubs.

In Japan, the first place golfers look for new equipment is GOLF Partner. GOLF Partner is not only the largest golf retail chain in Japan, but is the largest in the world. Through www.golfpartnerusa.com, GOLF Partner makes thousands of new and used JDM clubs easily available to global buyers. Let’s explore a few of these offerings with five great options for JDM drivers.

#1 GOLF Partner NEXGEN 6

In addition to their retail presence, GOLF Partner also produces a private line of clubs under the NEXGEN name. These aren’t low-quality clubs though and the NEXGEN 6 driver is consistently a top seller on their website. This driver is designed to help slower-to-moderate swing speed players maximize their distance through a light-weight, high kickpoint shaft. The CG of the head is low and in the back to encourage high launch and forgiveness. The NEXGEN 6 is one of the best JDM drivers you can buy.

BUY NOW

#2 XXIO X Driver

XXIO is pronounced “zek-see-oh” if you’ve been curious. It’s a brand we’re now able to get in North America, but is still a somewhat rare sight out on the golf course. In Japan, however, it is one of the market leaders and their drivers are consistently top sellers in the Japanese domestic market. This means that GOLF Partner can offer a variety of options both new and secondhand. XXIO designed the head to maintain ball speeds on strikes all over the face. It can be a good option for inconsistent ball-strikers. You can find the XXIO X in the US, but greater availability on the Japanese market gives it a place on this list.

Lydia Ko shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Lotte Championship.

Fred Couples put in more work than usual to get ready for the Masters, only to have his worst performance in 36 appearances. Back on the PGA Tour Champions, he was more at ease and close to flawless.

Stewart Cink sits at 16-under 126 after Friday's round, besting Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson for the best midway score at the RBC Heritage.

Alejandro Canizares overcame a slow start to card a 2-under 70 on Friday and keep his one-stroke lead after the second round of the Austrian Open.

If you’re into following equipment trends, “better-player” hybrids are making a bit of a resurgence in 2021.

Sub70 has joined the fray with its new 949x Pro Hybrid that it bills as a neutrally-weighted option that targets higher swing speed players.

As expected, it features a smaller profile and two interchangeable weight ports (center and toe) to help create an anti-left ball flight.

With that said, we’d like to get some feedback from MyGolfSpy readers.

TaylorMade has just launched the P•790 Black Irons.They are the same as the current version with a new aggressive black PVD finish.Retail price is $1,699 (3-PW).

The original P•790 was an instant powerhouse in the Player’s Distance category. And while TaylorMade’s first foam-filled design raised the ire of PXG, it also sent the company down what has become a four-year-long path of creating some of the most aesthetically pleasing irons in the game. The TaylorMade P•790 Black will no doubt continue the trend.

If you’re inclined to find chunks of metal “sexy,” with the last several iterations of its P•series irons, TaylorMade has joined the league leaders in the hot-and-bothered category while giving you an uncomfortable number of excuses to need some quality “alone time.”

P•790 Black – New But Not Different

For those and other reasons, you may have found yourself tingling with anticipating for the next P•790. After all, it’s been two years since the current model launched alongside the extra-uber-premium P•790 Ti. The calendar suggests it’s time for some new gear.

Unfortunately for you sweaty P•790 fans, this time around the calendar deceives. Instead of a totally new P•790, with the TaylorMade P•790 Black, the company is taking the increasingly popular route of extending the existing line.