A packed leaderboard down the stretch at Augusta National? That's how it goes, no matter what event it is here. But the course played hard, which could be what is in store when the Masters gets going, too.

Raise your hand if you play Nippon Modus iron shafts.

If that’s you, keep your hand in the air and consider that for golfers who find optimal performance with one of Nippon’s Modus Tour iron shafts, it also offers a commensurate driver (or fairway) shaft.

For example, if you play the Modus Tour 105 or 125 series shafts, Nippon would suggest you look at the Regio Formula MB+.

At face value, it’s a concept that seems to almost make too much sense.

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

Consistently playing the same, high-quality ball is a must for golfers of all abilities to score their best, but what if the retail price is just too high?

MyGolfSpy testing has proven the importance of the golf ball. There is a significant, measurable difference in playing a high-quality one. Additionally, playing the same ball every round, instead of just playing whatever you find in the woods is a simple way to eliminate a variable that could impact scoring. That said, not everyone can justify paying $40-$50 or even higher per box of balls, especially if you are losing several per round. For these golfers, it’s important to know that there are options to get tour-level balls at significantly lower prices.

This is your guide to golf ball deals.

Deal #1: Buy Three-Get One Free Campaigns

Many golfers want the latest, name-brand golf balls new out of the box. The most direct path to the best price is stocking up during promotional sales. This time of year, most major ball brands offer deals. When you purchase three dozen balls, you can get a fourth dozen for free. This includes top-performing balls such as the Titleist Pro V1/Pro V1x and Callaway Chrome Soft/Chrome Soft X.

Current Buy 3 Get 1 Free Deals (These all include personalization):

Titleist: Pro V1, Pro V1x, AVX, Pro V1x Left Dash

$49.99 / $37.49/dozen (25% OFF)

Michelle Wie West said it "wasn't a good day" for her after she finished with a birdie-less 79 to miss the cut at the ANA Inspiration, where Patty Tavatanakit leads by one shot.

Cameron Tringale made a move for his first PGA Tour victory with a 3-under-par 69 Friday and a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Valero Texas Open.

Lee Elder: A Man of Firsts

April 2, 2021

The USGA contributed to this report

In 2019, during the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the USGA honored Lee Elder with its highest honor, the Bob Jones Award.

Elder was the first African-American to receive the prestigious award, which recognizes an individual who demonstrates the spirit, personal character and respect for the game exhibited by Jones, winner of nine USGA championships.

Kupcho talks about winning the first Augusta National Women's Amateur and all she wants to accomplish.

Are your wedges custom fitted or selected? It’s the primary question posed by Edel Golf and the driving force behind its new SMS (Swing Match System) wedge line.

Maybe semantics aren’t your thing. However, Edel believes the difference between what it offers and, well, pretty much everything else, is monumental.

Is it a bold assertion? You bet. But the story supporting Edel’s stance offers some rather intriguing talking points. We’ll break it down for you. Hold, please.

It’s been a long time coming. In fact, one could reasonably argue that it’s been nearly 90 years since any seismic shift in wedge design.  While taking a flying lesson from Howard Hughes, Gene Sarazen noted how the tail of the plane functioned, specifically during takeoff. The result was a homespun “sand” wedge with a flange design that immediately changed how golfers played out of bunkers.

The Rypstick is a new training aid for golfers looking to increase swing speed.Its streamlined design leverages a single stick instead of three.The Rypstick platform includes optional coaching and fitness programs.Retail price is $189.

To build a better mousetrap. It’s one of mankind’s greatest motivators.

In this iteration of the metaphor, the mousetrap is golf swing speed trainers—most notably the Super Speed system. In the eyes of RypGolf founder Luke Benoit, his “better mousetrap” is the Rypstick.

The Rypstick may be relatively new to the market but Benoit has all the bona fides you’d want from someone entrusted with helping you get more out of your golf swing. He’s been named one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers 10 times. He’s the Director of Instruction at the famed Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn. He’s also earned a Ph.D. in motor control and learning.

Helping golfers play better is what Benoit does and, at the risk of mixing my metaphors, building a better version of this particular mousetrap doesn’t exactly require reinventing the wheel.

The Panthers wide receiver was among those who took part in Topgolf Live's stadium tour when it swung through Charlotte.

Koepka, the four-time major winner, popped the question in March, but announced it Thursday.

Michelle Wie West shot a 2-under 70, leaving her four strokes behind leader Patty Tavatanakit after Round 1 of the ANA Inspiration. Shanshan Feng's return to the LPGA Tour was marked by a bogey-free 67.

Camilo Villegas had nine birdies and finished with an 8-under 64 on Thursday to take a two-shot lead after the first round at the Valero Texas Open.

U.S. Women's Amateur champion Rose Zhang shares the lead with Ingrid Lindblad going into the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Rule of the Month: Order of Play/Ready Golf

April 1, 2021

When starting a hole, generally the player with the lowest score on the previous hole plays first. After starting a hole, the ball farthest from the hole is usually played first. However, the Rules encourage “ready golf” to help improve pace of play as long as it is done in a safe and responsible manner.

In four-ball play, you and your partner can play in whatever order you think is best when it is your side’s turn to play.

FAQs:

Related Resources:

Read the Rules:

The post Rule of the Month: Order of Play/Ready Golf appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

2021 Iron Cover Buyer’s Guide

After never-ending reader demands, we are proud to bring you the first MyGolfSpy Iron Covers Buyer’s Guide. Long overdue!

We know you want to protect your investment and add some raw sexual energy to your golf bag. Based upon fewer dings and elevated pregnancy levels, adding covers to your irons accomplishes both of these goals.

However, improved fortification and fornication are only two indicators of iron-cover performance. Modern iron covers include additional functionalities designed to enhance your performance both on and off the course. Make sure you consider all of these aspects when making such an important purchase.

With so many amazing covers on the market, choosing the set to match your lifestyle is challenging. Today, we will showcase the market leaders in the iron cover category and help you find the right set for you.

Kate Smith, from the University of Nebraska, made four birdies in 11 holes until rain interrupted the opening round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details Wednesday, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star.

Golf on the gulf is a beautiful and breezy affair, and one we might typically associate more with Florida or Mississippi or Alabama. Texas does have a handful of plays right on the coast, and none are more convenient to a major metro area than Moody Gardens Golf Course in Galveston, Texas. Moody Gardens is […]

The post Course Spotlight: Moody Gardens delivers exciting golf on the Texas coast appeared first on Golf Blog, Golf Articles | GolfNow Blog.

I hope you enjoyed watching the WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play as much as I did. Most of the early televised matches were very close so every hole won or lost was critical for each player. There were a number of international players who added to the suspense. I always found myself rooting for one of the players in every match. Typically I found myself rooting for the underdogs and they surprisingly came out on top.

There were 8 playoffs at the end of Round 3 to eliminate a number of players from the 64 player field. In those playoffs 7 of the 8 matches were won by the underdogs. The #3 seed, Jon Rahm, was the only low seeded player to win his playoff.

One of the most exciting matches was between Bryson DeChambeau (#5- the giant killer) who was booming every drive against one of the smallest players in the field, an Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood (#22). Tommy was leading the match by 1 over Bryson going into the 18th hole. Both shot long tees shots (328 and 338 yards) but both landed in trouble in the rough.

Tommy landed his tee shot on a patch of grass in a creek where he had an impossible stretched-out stance with low hanging branches leaving a gap between himself and the hole (at least 20 feet above his location). He had a clear 69 yard shot to the hole but he realized that a low shot up hill would either hit the low hanging branches or never stop as it passed over the green. Adding to the pressure, Bryson had a clear up hill shot to the hole. Losing the hole to Bryson would result in a playoff.

Tommy Took his Medicine
Tommy realized that he had 3 more shots to tie the hole and win the match only if Bryson played a poor chip and then missed his birdie putt. Tommy “took his medicine” to miss the low hanging branches and pitched 91 yards to the rough on the other side of the green but away from the tree. He landed his chip about 8 feet from the hole and sank his par putt after Bryson missed his own 8 foot birdie putt.