Gary Woodland, Scott Piercy and Doc Redman have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing them to withdraw from this week's Honda Classic.

Marion Hollins: Women’s Golf Pioneer

March 15, 2021

Photos by Julian P. Graham 

Marion Hollins, who was inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame in 2012, was a pioneer for women’s golf.

In 1921, Hollins, who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022, won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Eleven years later, she captained the inaugural USA Curtis Cup squad.

When the time comes, Hollins will be the 40th female to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and the seventh for golf development.

NCGA Member/Former WGANC Director Evelyn Hayes Turns 100!

March 15, 2021

By Dianna Stein

On March 24, NCGA member Evelyn Hayes of Butte Creek Country Club will turn 100 years old. She’s had quite a journey in golf.

Evelyn’s longtime work and dedication to the Women’s Golf Association of Northern California, which is now a part of the NCGA, can only be met with a thank you from others who have benefited from all of the events and effectiveness in women’s golf that the organization provides.

Our Job is Your Game

The most comprehensive mallet putter test of 2021 is complete. The results may surprise you.

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

As always, we don’t want you to spend a dollar unless what you’re buying outperforms what’s in your bag.

If you’re in the market for a new putter, this test is for you.

Introducing the Docus Reloaded + Iron! While it looks like a blade, it really isn’t; the new Docus Reloaded+ is actually a 2 piece hollow structure design similar to what many large OEMs now offer for those who seek a sleek look yet also need more distance and forgiveness.

Its body is made of Forged S20C, while the face is stainless 455 steel; this is a popular material combo that adds more forgiveness and distance.  The SUS455 face is hotter with more rebound for higher ball speeds; it is also more forgiving as the sweet spot is expanded with a hollow body.  

It’s the Docus brand’s entry into the hollow body segment and is actually made at the same factory as many other larger OEMs.  So who is this really for?  Holding it in hand and cross-referencing with the specs, I would have to say it’s still a semi players club yet has many of the attributes a game improvement club may have.  The player, in a sense that it has a very minimal offset or as known in Japan, a higher FP (face progression),  the #9 has virtually no offset while the PW actually has onset.  The lofts are also jacked, with the PW coming in at 42*.  This is the main reason that the Reloaded+ is offered in a base set of 6-PW with an optional #5, whereas usually, 5-PW is the base offering.

Hitting impressions,  I could not hit the new Reloaded+ iron in an actual round of golf, but I was able to hit it off the grass at a range and in a swing cage.    It does not feel like a blade at all; I must keep going back to that as many of our clients may see it as a forgiving blade-style option.   Hollow body irons such as these or the many that have hit the market recently are really about forgiveness and distance; they lack workability, feel and compared to a classic muscle back design, they are less accurate.   The feel is noticeably hollow at impact yet still somewhat soft.  It’s hard to describe.  I would cross-shop these with The ONOFF Kuro Forged iron and some of PXG’s Taylormade’s new multi-piece hollow cavity designs.  While the focus lacks the TPU on the inside, it does feature an adjustable toe and heel weight, which helps dial in the specs.

The new Docus Reloaded+ iron is now shipping at TourSpecGolf, and you can purchase (here) 

Justin Thomas found his game at TPC Sawgrass. And sure, he needed a good bounce at the last hole, but he got it and walked away with the PGA Tour's biggest prize.

Justin Thomas rallied from three shots behind with bold play to close with a 4-under 68 and outlast Lee Westwood at The Players Championship on Sunday.

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France's Antoine Rozner sealed victory at the Qatar Masters with a 60 foot putt on the last to win his second European Tour title.

He is one of the more accomplished players in golf. But he doesn't have a major. Nor does he have a win the size of the Players. With his fiancée at his side, Westwood heads into Sunday with his eyes on a missing prize.

Lee Westwood's two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau sets up a rematch from last week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

No. 1-ranked Dustin Johnson said Saturday he will not participate in the men's Olympic golf tournament in Tokyo this summer, citing a preference to focus on PGA Tour events.

The Players, which Woods won twice, put the pin in the same spot it was in 20 years ago on the famed island green at the par-3 17th. It also added the date and Woods' initials.

A hook is often considered the “better player” miss but that is small consolation if you are watching the ball sail OB.

While swing mechanics are always going to play the biggest role, modern driver designs can help keep the ball in play and in the fairway more often.

Prescriptions for Fighting a Hook

Unlike some of the drivers featured in the Best Driver For A Slice 2021 article, very few clubs these days are built with a fade bias locked in. Instead, the prescription for keeping the ball from going left (for right-handers) often involves some combination of:

Before the advent of adjustable drivers, golfers would either have to custom build or manipulate drivers to achieve these conditions. Now, however, the best drivers for fighting a hook offer some combination of these settings. It may take some experimentation (or a proper fitting) but with a little effort and fine-tuning you should be able to achieve the desired results.

With that in mind, here are our picks for the best drivers for fighting a hook in 2021.

After missing the Players Championship cut, Rory McIlroy acknowledged that swing changes he made after watching the distance gains Bryson DeChambeau achieved have hurt his own game. "I just need to maybe rein it back in a little bit," McIlroy said.

The Players has traditionally been one of those events that doesn't favor anyone, which means any style or age or world ranking has a shot. And this version appears no different.

Lee Westwood continued his strong play of late and will take a 1-shot lead into the weekend at the Players Championship, where several big names -- Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay among them -- missed the cut.

ASGCA brings back “Great Junior Golf Design Challenge” for 2021

March 12, 2021

The American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) has brought back a program to showcase creativity in golf course architecture among young people. “The Great Junior Golf Design Challenge of 2021,” encourages children to design their own golf hole and gives families and educators an opportunity to involve children in the art of golf course design.

First introduced in 2020, the Challenge is simple. Young people ages 17 and younger may submit design ideas for golf holes of any par, style or strategy, and from whimsical to serious. A submission may be created in any medium (pencil, markers, crayon or digital) as long as it fits within the provided border from ASGCA. Scans or photos of designs may be sent via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or uploaded via Twitter to @ASGCA to be shared on social media and ASGCA.org. Complete information may be found at https://asgca.org/the-great-junior-golf-design-challenge-of-2021.

A new aspect of the Design Challenge is that a “top design” will be selected and the winning designer will receive $250 from ASGCA Foundation. A matching donation will also be made to the designer’s local First Tee chapter. All submissions will also be entered into a drawing, and two names will be selected to receive merchandise from U.S. Kids Golf.

 “Last year, the ‘Great Junior Design Challenge’ came together quickly and was a perfect anecdote for children and families when COVID-19 hit,” ASGCA President Forrest Richardson said. “This year, ASGCA is thrilled to have the involvement of our friends at U.S. Kids Golf. There is boundless energy and creativity shown in these designs, and we look forward to seeing what this year’s Challenge produces.”

I’m not sure how many golfers suffer from “tennis elbow.” It’s a lot.

But what I do know is, that for those folks, the pain goes from frustrating to downright debilitating.

Our very own Tony Covey has shared his battles which included some marital conflict over lawn-mowing duties.

Fiix Elbow

Described as a tendinitis and tennis elbow recovery device, the Fiix Elbow by Stā Active replicates IASTM (instrument-assisted soft-tissue massage) treatments, but at home.