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:

Can I play out of turn to save time?Can my partner and I play in whatever order we choose?

Related Resources:

Video – Encouraging Prompt Pace of Play

Read the Rules:

Rule 5.6 – Unreasonable Delay; Prompt Pace of PlayRule 6.4 – Order of Play When Playing Hole

 

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.

Aditi Ashok will equal Anirban Lahiri's record of participating in 16 Majors when she tees off at the ANA Inspiration on Thursday.

Limited run Bettinardi putter to commemorate the first major of 2021.Only 350 of this uniquely crafted BB14 will be available.For sale in The Hive at Bettinardi.com on 04/06/2021

Today, we get our first look at Bettinardi’s Spring Classic BB14 limited run putter. Naturally, the timing of this release has something to do with the upcoming “first major” next week. This is the time of year when the golf industry hits its Masters-inspired gear stride. What makes the Bettinardi annual releases a little different is that there is usually a nugget of Bettinardi Masters play history incorporated into the design.

For the collector, this season’s Spring Classic BB14 hits all of the limited-edition marks. It has the unique Masters-inspired aesthetics and a head that is not available as a retail offering. Sprinkle in some of that Bettinardi flavor and you have the markings of a classic limited offering.

Introducing Robert Bettinardi’s second limited run putter of 2021, the BB14 Spring Classic. Robert crafted the BB14 from the finest American 303 Stainless Steel, including a stunning copper insert with Flymill face milling for a super-soft, responsive feel at impact. The classic heel-toe weighted blade was precision-milled to 354 grams and features a double-bend shaft that sets up masterfully at address. Completed with an exceptional platinum finish and a polished face and sole, the Spring Classic putter features a rich green, white, and copper color scheme. The BB14 Spring Classic Limited Run putter comes perfectly paired with a green stitch-back perforated leather Gripmaster grip and a premium Made in USA matching leather headcover.

Specs: Limited Run Bettinardi Spring Classic BB14

Model: BB14Material: 303 Stainless Steel/110 Copper InsertFinish: Platinum Body/Polished Face & SoleFace Milling: FlymillWeight: 354 gramsNeck: SpudToe Hang: Face BalancedGrip: Leather GripmasterUnits Produced: 350 worldwidePrice: $800.00Release Date: 04/06/2021 .truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * (100% - 430px)); } @media screen and (max-width: 991px) { .truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * 100%); width: 100%; } }

MyGolfSpy Ball Lab is where we quantify the quality and consistency of the golf balls on the market to help you find the best ball for your money. Today, we’re taking a look at the Noodle Long and Soft. An overview of the equipment we use can be found here. To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.

The MaxFli TaylorMade Noodle Long and Soft is one of the most requested balls for Ball Lab. You’re all weird … a good number of you anyway. I get it. The Noodle is an affordable product with a fun name. It’s one of few beloved products where, even if deep down we know it’s not one of the best balls on the market, we don’t care.

The Noodz is like Gary McCord’s mustache. It’s familiar and, whether it’s ultimately a good idea or not, there’s still something almost comforting about it.

About the Noodle Long and Soft

As you may or may not know, The Noodle brand once fell under the Maxfli umbrella. When the Maxfli name was sold to DICK’S Sporting Goods, TaylorMade kept the Noodz (The Noodle brand) for themselves. The TaylorMade Noodle Long and Soft is a two-piece, Surlyn-covered ball with 342 dimples.

TaylorMade Golf is releasing a limited-edition Spider putter to commemorate Dustin Johnson’s 2020 Masters win.The putter is built to DJ’s specs and features Augusta-inspired graphics.The putter has a MSRP of $499.99 and is available for preorder at TaylorMade online and at retailers today.

This April, TaylorMade will be releasing a special-edition Itsy Bitsy Spider putter to commemorate Dustin Johnson’s 2020 Masters victory. This Masters spider will be built to DJ’s play specs and feature custom aesthetics reflecting his first win at Augusta National.

“Growing up in South Carolina, winning in Augusta was my dream. When that dream finally came true last fall, I was speechless. The win was special for many reasons, as is the putter that helped me get the job done.”

-Dustin Johnson

We all know this is the time the golf market becomes flooded with products inspired by the “first major” of the year in men’s golf. Want an entire outfit decorated with pimento and cheese images? No doubt some company out there wants to make that happen for you. There are just so many goofy Masters products pursuing patrons’ paychecks. This is not one of them.

To me, this commemorative putter seems more legit than some other yellow and green golf swag as it helped DJ earn the bragging rights that come with the green jacket of a Masters champion. DJ put on a putting clinic that week with his impressive number of one-putts and by leading the field in strokes gained putting from six to nine feet (+.902).