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Ben Hogan GS53 MAX Driver – Key Takeaways

The new Hogan GS53 MAX driver is a more forgiving version of last year’s GS53.It’s 460cc and features a bigger face and a lower and deeper center of gravity.The GS53 MAX offers three real-deal shaft optionsThe price won’t make you gag.

The new Hogan GS53 MAX driver is further proof the Ben Hogan Company is planning to stick around. Seriously, there are so many Hogan comeback stories flying around you’d think they’re getting ready to remake Follow The Sun.

Hogan has launched more than a dozen new products since its rebirth three years ago. Last season’s original GS53 driver was the first new driver bearing the Hogan name since the CS-3 in the early 2000s. The GS53 and its companion fairway woods made Hogan a full-line equipment company once again.

So, do we agree, no more comeback stories?

Good. With that out of the way, let’s see what makes the new Ben Hogan GS53 MAX driver tick.

Hogan GS53 MAX: Bigger, Taller, Deeper

The original GS52 is staying in the lineup. However, at 445cc with a forward-ish CG, it’s not the most forgiving stick on the rack. The new Hogan GS53 MAX, however, is meant for us mere mortals.

Thanks to all who sent in John Hawkins’s Morning Read look at the pending downscaling of Golf Channel and demise of GolfChannel.com. I held off on posting the story while awaiting comment on the recent building closure and ensuing disappearance of all studio shows. While a network spokesman has not able to give an answer about what was happening, channel listings do show Morning Drive and Golf Central returning next week. At least, for the time being. (Before a scaling back when the network moves to Stamford, Connecticut for “geographic consolidation” and tax breaks with one studio show covering pre and post games.)

Multiple sources say the headquarters, closed to ensure safe working conditions after a class action suit was filed against the neighboring Lockheed Martin facility, will reopen next week, while GolfChannel.com has received a very slight reprieve from the expected year-end shuttering first reported on by The Athletic.

Hawkins writes:

The layoffs were made public in June, to be conducted in a two-stage process, and that process is still shaking itself out. The coronavirus hasn’t made things any easier. Nor has a class-action lawsuit involving 11 Golf Channel employees and defense company Lockheed Martin, which owns a plant near the GC complex and is accused in a class-action lawsuit of instigating an “environmental nightmare” with its alleged mismanagement of hazardous toxins.

A source with close knowledge of the case confirmed today that the Golf Channel employee portion of the case has swelled to “about 100” plaintiffs from the 11 originally reported by the Orlando Sentinel.

Given the ongoing pandemic, the PGA of America will not hold the 2021 “Show” this coming January.

Instead a virtual show will take place. A cutting edge one at that.

The PGA Show’s Virtual Experience & Marketplace will drive business, education and networking through a cutting-edge, highly interactive virtual platform featuring:

New product launch events

Dynamic exhibitor showrooms

Golf Datatech reports over $1 billion of golf equipment sales in 2020’s third quarter, making it the highest Q3 on record and the best quarter since 2008. The sales are up 42% over the same period in 2019.

From their release: 

“The story keeps getting better as golf continues to surge coming out of the shutdown, and Q3 equipment sales suggests that 2020 will likely end up positive for the entire year,” said John Krzynowek, Partner, Golf Datatech, LLC. “Year-to-date sales for total equipment are now up 0.2% compared to 2019, and considering the size of the hole created by the shutdown in April and May this recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. While the US economy will not enjoy a ‘V Shaped Recovery’ in 2020, if golf continues on this trajectory we will be there soon.”

The category leaders in sales for September were golf bags at +19% and wedges at +18%, while golf shoes were +2%. Overall, the golf club category was +0.9% for the month, with balls and gloves trending slightly lower, -2.7%.

 Wait, they left out the part about the huge spike in $600 driver sales! Because that’s what grows the game! Or, more time for safe outdoor recreation.

Golfers at any level benefit from every round that they play. Unfortunately we all have mishits or shanks or poor side hill lies where we only get upset with our game. Wouldn’t it be great to have a second chance to try every one of your poor shots over again? Why not play the occasional round of golf where you take a mulligan for every one of your poor shots. Then add up your score and appreciate how low your score can be.

You learned to play golf hitting buckets of balls at a driving range on a flat surface or mat. So how will you ever learn to improve your game on the rolling terrain of a golf course? Or in the rough? When you play a round of golf, the pressure is on and you really don’t have time to learn from your mistakes. Wouldn’t it be ideal to take corrective action to fix your swing or setup to improve your shots?

Here are 3 pros (Sergio, Tiger and Jim Furyk) with 3 different back swings. Why not tryout a change and learn from your results.

SOLUTION: Play a Self-Training Round of Golf
Of course you can’t enter your score for your handicap when you take a number of mulligans. The real benefit is that you can:
1/ Figure out how to hit balls from a poor lie or from a side or downhill lie.
2/ Practice hitting a draw or fad to land your ball where you want it to land.
3/ Avoid the anger that builds up when something goes wrong with your swing.
4/ Enjoy seeing how well you can actually hit the right shot. [Of course, the old saying goes, any idiot can hit the second try.]
5/ Best of all, you can total up your score with all of your great shots to see how low your score can get. It will build confidence in your game.

Playing a practice round will let you make all of those short putts that never reach the hole. Gives you that second chance to get out of a sand trap. Lets you find the perfect direction to aim off your side hill lie. Try out a more lofted club on a downhill lie to actually make your shot count. And best of all you can make that chip with confidence to cozy your ball up to the pin for a 1 putt green.

Mark down the score using your best ball when you take an alternate shot. You will really be pleased to see your score drop by 10 to 30%. When you add up your score at the end of your round, you will really be pleased to know that you have that low score capability in your game.

November 13-14 | Poppy Hills/Del Monte

 

The post 16th NCGA Mixed Team Fall Championship appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Adam Scott has withdrawn from the Zozo Championship in Thousand Oaks, California, after testing positive for COVID-19. He is the 15th player to test positive since the PGA Tour returned in June.

Phil Mickelson is nervous about having fans at the Houston Open, the event just before the Masters.

After a successful late summer run of negative tests prior to the U.S. Open, Adam Scott becomes the third star player in as many weeks to test positive for the coronavirus.

PGA TOUR Statement on Adam Scott

PGA TOUR member Adam Scott has withdrawn from the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD after testing positive for COVID-19.

Scott, who last competed at the U.S. Open in September, will have the PGA TOUR’s full support throughout his self-isolation period under CDC guidelines.

“While it’s difficult news to receive – as I really looked forward to playing this week – my focus now is on recovery for the final stretch of the fall,” said Scott.

With the Houston Open benefiting the Astros* Foundation set to welcome 2000 fans a day at a hefty price, Phil Mickelson added another wrinkle to the imminent return of galleries.

The perennial week-before-a-major player says he’s not so sure about returning in front of galleries and risking exposure that could force a Masters WD.

Speaking before the ZOZO Championship, Mickelson said he’s mulling options.

“I think the PGA TOUR's done an incredible job, I mean an incredible job of getting the players to play and compete in a safe environment,” he said. “We've had a few people test positive. It has not spread from those people. They've kept everybody at a good social distance so if somebody does have it, it hasn't affected and carried through the Tour. I think they've done a phenomenal job of having us feel safe.I think that they will do a very good, safe job in having 2,000 people at the Houston Open. However, for me personally, I don't like the risk that having that happen the week before the Masters. I just feel like the week before the Masters, like that's a big tournament we have and I just don't want to have any risk heading in there. So it has made me question whether or not I'll play there.”

Mickelson later reiterated he would likely play the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Challenge in Phoenix as long as fans were not part of the equation.

October 21, 2020

Legend Mickey Wright Bequeaths Estate, Artifacts to USGA

In support of its mission to champion and advance the game of golf and in appreciation of its continued preservation and celebration of her legacy, the USGA announced that late four-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Mickey Wright has bequeathed her estate and possessions to the USGA.

Wright, who died Feb.17 at the age of 85, was the defining female player of the 1950s and 1960s. The preservation of her story is imperative to the USGA’s mission to chronicle the history of women’s golf and share it with generations to come.

The massive collection of more than 300 artifacts related to Wright’s professional career and personal life includes correspondence, photo albums, scrapbooks, equipment, medals, awards, films and videos, as well as her personal writings, library, record collection and other materials that highlight Wright’s diverse interests, such as sculpture, fishing and the stock market. The collection will be housed at the USGA Golf Museum and Library in Liberty Corner, N.J., alongside the collections of many of the game’s greatest champions.

The late Mickey Wright has left her entire estate and possessions to the USGA, news announced by the organization today.

Beth Ann Nichols got an exclusive look at Wright’s items and shared her observations in this Golfweek.com piece.

Wright carefully charted everything, from her calorie intake to a stock’s performance, the latter with hand-drawn graphs. She was particular about wanting her desk taken up to Far Hills. They also took the adding machine, a lamp, a 2014 Curtis Cup mouse pad and stacks of ledgers. She’d often write to the authors of the investment books she read seeking advice.

A green Titleholders jacket hung in her closet. One of her books, “Play Golf the Wright Way,” was opened up to a spread showing her driver sequence. Wright filled up notebooks with swing thoughts and kept dozens of VHS tapes of her golf highlights. She even had a professional studio preserve certain clips, giving future generations priceless footage of a swing Ben Hogan once lauded as the best in golf.

Tiger Woods is back in action at the Zozo Championship. Our experts offer their best bets and some props for the tourney.

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 Srixon Q-Star Tour. 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.

Typically, we try to be as dispassionate as possible when presenting our Ball Lab findings. The numbers are the numbers and, more often than not, they speak plenty for themselves.

With respect to the Srixon Q-Star Tour, keeping a straight face presents a challenge. I know a lot of you play this ball. I know a lot of you love this ball. Not for anything, I made my lone albatross with the prior generation of the Q-Star Tour so I’m not without my own affinity for it.

Given perceptions and Srixon’s reputation for quality, I had high expectations for the Q-Star Tour.

The best of the existing course rankings—Golf Magazine’s World Top 100 came out strong last year under Ran Morrissett’s fine-tuning to present a strong international list rewarding architecture over some obvious oddball inclusions.

The new U.S. Top 100 is coming out any day now and they’re already discussing it on GolfClubAtlas.com and is eye-opening.

The obvious theme of panelists from my first glimpse: restorations rooted in historical accuracy and fun are sending courses up the rankings, while half-hearted-or-worse-redos took big hits with the elite panel.

At first glimpse it’s hard not to notice the fall of name-brand, legendary layouts that present the golfer a mixed bag of design changes.

Since the last Golf U.S. list in 2018:

Derek Lawrenson explains the USGA and R&A’s new World Handicap in his weekly Daily Mail column and is not entirely sold, as well-intentioned as he found the new world order as of November 2.

For the amateurs who play a significant percentage of their golf outside their home course, the changes will be welcomed. It’s obviously simplistic to take an eight handicap at a straightforward inland course and think it translates to playing off the same mark at, say, Royal Birkdale. This more nuanced approach will make the necessary adjustments.

The reason I’ll get a couple of extra shots at my home course is that it has a high slope rating, meaning it is more difficult than your average track.

Why introduce this in the middle of a pandemic is a valid question. But when we’ve grown accustomed to the changes, it ought to make sense.

In the meantime, you can always take refuge in the cheerful conclusion reached by our handicap chairman: ‘Do not become overwhelmed by all the information, the calculations and the formulae: remember, the computer will do it all for you.’

I laughed out loud a few times during Golf Digest’s “Undercover Caddie” with Joel Beall tackling the tricky topic of PGA Tour events without fans.

While a few veteran stars maybe haven’t had their old home field advantage without fans giving them an extra adrenaline boost, it’s been apparent players have enjoyed not dealing with gallery inconveniences. The unnamed caddie acknowledges that the PGA Tour has “feels less like a professional sports league” and “more like a very serious member-guest that’s being televised.”

But says for caddies, life has been way easier and for players too, including Wednesdays.

OK, one thing is better: no pro-ams. Do you see brokers in the layup line at an NBA game? How about salesmen taking hacks in the batting cage at Fenway Park? Listen, the Wednesday events do a lot for charity. We meet some interesting people through them, and no, they’re not all chops. But if you’re asking if I’d rather my man prep for a tournament by (a) playing with fellow pros or (b) acting as a tour guide … I think you know my answer.

This reminds me: this week’s ZOZO Championship at Sherwood features a pro-am with players only obligated to play nine of the 18-hole round. And as odd as they are compared to other pro sports, they are integral to the PGA Tour’s business and most of all, the charities.

Returning to Sherwood Country Club for the ZOZO Championship, Tiger Woods was asked about the speed chase by players.

TIGER WOODS: Well, distance has always been an advantage. Now that we have the tools, that being the launch monitor, the fitting of the golf clubs, the adjustability. I think all that plays into the fact that you're able to maximize the capabilities of a driver. There's no reason why you can't pick up more yardage and guys have done that. They've changed shafts, they've changed lofts, they've changed weights on their heads and length of clubs. Driving is such a huge part of the game and it's so advantageous if you're able to get the ball out there. It just makes the game so much easier.

And this on distance was nice. Someone else has lost patience.

Q. Just one last question, and on the back of an earlier question about driving distance of the ball. As you know, the administrators are a little worried about where the game's going. Should they be worried?

TIGER WOODS: They should have been worried a long time ago, but the genie's out of the bag now. It's about what do we do going forward and how soon can they do it. I don't know if they're going--you're not going to stop the guys who are there right now. You can carry--guys are figuring out how to carry the ball 320-plus yards, and it's not just a few of them. There's a lot of guys can do it. That's where the game's going. There's only going to be a small amount of property that we can do, we can alter golf courses. I just don't see how they can roll everything back. I would like to have--like to be able to see that, as far as our game, but then we go back down the road of what do you bifurcate, at what level? So that's a long discussion we've had for a number of years, for 20-plus years now, and I think it's only going to continue.

Tiger Woods said on Tuesday that he is considering adding another tournament prior to the Masters -- the Houston Open.