Golfing News & Blog Articles

Turns out there is some normalcy to this Masters: rain. Weather suspended play shortly after the first round began on Thursday morning.

To be answered by the fall 2020 Masters, in no particular order:

The Lords of Augusta are going to let CBS fly a drone over the property? While the Masters is going? I’ll believe it when I see it.

Will players survive without their teams due to COVID restrictions?

With no crowds (and revealing roars), slow scoreboards and no cell phones outdoors (unless you’re Sir Nick), will players even know where they stand on the final nine? Could that impact a strategic decision down the stretch?

What will a Monday finish look like? (Sorry, folks with non-refundable reservations but Thursday’s forecast is not peachy).

Lance Barrow will slide on a headset one last time this week as he bids farewell producing CBS’s 2020 Masters coverage.

He’s penned a lovely Golf.com recollection of his time working for CBS. As always I suggest reading the full piece. A teaser:

My starting salary was $60 a week. You learn, and you rise, by doing, by listening, by watching — and by getting the job done. Chuck would say to me, “Humble yourself: Get me half a cup of black.”

In golf and TV, your classroom is everywhere. In my early years there were many Sunday nights when, after a tournament, I found myself on the same flight back to Dallas-Fort Worth as Don January, Lee Trevino and Charles Coody. They would all be in their sports coats, of course, so I would be, too. They would talk about the shots they hit, what the other players were like under pressure, rules disputes. All I did was listen.

Swinging a putter is a pretty simple process. Or is it? Why is it so difficult to choose a line and then to putt a golf ball up that line? Unfortunately sloped greens affect our choice of direction and our bodies are designed to swing a putter in an arc. Putters are not designed to be hit in a straight line like a croquette mallet. You have to learn the tricks to swing in a straight line at the point of contact.

Your goal in putting is to plan for a straight putt on a planned target line. Unfortunately your chosen direction and speed of you swing will determine how much your straight putt will break. I love the tip that Rory McIlroy uses in putting.
1/ He checks the slope from below his putting line to the hole as he stands perpendicular to the line of his putt.
2/ He then stands behind the hole to see the break at the hole where the ball will break the most as it slows down.
3/ Then he stands behind his ball for a final check on the slope of the green and to choose his target line. He actually imagines hitting directly at the hole to get a feel for how far his ball will fall down (D) from the hole if he hits the perfect weight to reach the hole. Then he chooses a line to hit his straight putt so that it will fall about the same distance (D) down to the hole.
Now that you have your target line you need to swing your putter with enough force to pass the hole by about a foot (or it will never go in the hole).

Don’t waste your time practice putting until you setup a string over a straight putt and learn to swing so that your putter is on a straight line at the point of impact.

You need the skill to hit a straight putt on your target line.
• 85% of your initial putt direction is caused by your putter face direction and 15% is caused by your swing direction. Both must be on the right line-up and your ball needs to be slightly in front of the centerline between your legs to allow the upward impact of your putter to start the roll of your ball.
• Your putter grip should have a flat surface which is perpendicular to the putter face. Let your thumbs line up on the flat surface of the grip and ensure that the back of your leading hand is pointing up your target line.
• Use the rocking motion of your large shoulder muscles for straight putt. Take any wrist or hand action out of your putt to avoid shaking hands.
• Your body naturally want to swing in an arc (around the axis of your spine). KEY FOR SUCCESS: Swing through the point of impact, lock your eyes on that point and let your arms SWING UP at the point of impact instead of arching around your body.

Learn to putt straight using GOLFSTR+ to lock your leading wrist. You may want to try releasing your trailing hand at the point of impact so that you leading hand will carry your putter straight up your target line. (It’s the only way I can swing my putter straight up my target line. Buy one today at www.GOLFSTR.com

Golf Truism #33 The wind is in your face on 16 of the 18 holes.

Bill Fields wraps up the annual State of the Masters press conference featuring Chairman Fred Ridley, including details on some nice community outreach efforts prompted by this summer’s civil unrest.

Of course, there was the annual distance talk and one of the non-bootlickers thankfully asked.

From Adam Schupak’s look at Ridley’s comments on distance in response to Schupak’s question.

“I’ve been reluctant thus far to make any major changes regarding adding distance to the golf course,” Ridley said, forgetting, of course, that the club stretched the par-4 fifth hole, Magnolia, under his watch, to 495 yards in 2019. “I think sometimes when you do that, I mean, I think there are unintended consequences that come out of that. The scale and the scope of the hole, it changes when you add distance. It changes more than just adding distance. The look of the hole changes. And the design philosophy of the hole changes. And that’s something that we have always and I have always been very focused on is maintaining the design philosophy of MacKenzie and Jones.”

It’s a tad late on that front due to changes by previous administrations, but nice to see the Chairman gets that no walking back to tees to help tip toe around manufacturer bottom lines is, well, unbecoming.

How about that rough?

There is plenty to wonder about regarding the feasibility and success of this year’s rescheduled Masters. The Associated Press’ Paul Newberry addresses many of those questions in this pre-first round column yet calls the 2020 edition a “weak imitation” and a “nondescript college tournament”, all before a shot has been struck.

Certainly the atmosphere will be dead. So many traditions are not taking place and the atmosphere will be quiet. (Jon Rahm’s incredible skip shot and the silent reaction gave us an indication that the 2020 Masters will not be nearly as fun as normal.)

Still, Newberry slaughters the tournament before it has even begun. I supposed you could say he’s paying tribute to the joys of early-week Masters festivities and that overall strength of the tournament’s ability to captivate sports fans. But reaching that conclusion already is a curious call when 72 of 72 holes remain to be played.

Newberry writes:

Looking ahead to April's Masters, chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday that while he hopes it "will be more normal than it is now," there were no assurances it will be any different than the event that starts Thursday.

Cobra RAD Speed Key Takeaways

Three new Cobra RAD Speed drivers landed on the USGA list.They include low-spin, middle-of-the-market and draw-biased options.Bryson DeChambeau has been experimenting with a 5.5-degree version.More info when the embargo lifts.

The Cobra Rad Speed driver family – the company’s upcoming 2021 offering – has landed on the USGA’s conforming list just in time for the Masters.

Not counting a Version 2 of the RAD Speed, there are three distinct models on the list, suggesting that Cobra has decided to mirror much of the industry and take a trident approach to tackling the driver market.

With mainstream lineups, it’s not atypical to find a low-spin offering, a meaty part of the bell curve/everyman driver, and something from the other category. While we do see lightweight others and uber-forgiving others, the draw-biased other has become the most common and that certainly appears where Cobra is headed as well.

RAD Speed Drivers – What We Can Say?

As per standard embargo rules, what I’m allowed to tell you is limited to what’s visibly apparent in the USGA photos.

Given that, a reasonably observant person might conclude that the RAD in RAD Speed refers to the Radial Weights visible in different areas of the three club heads. Placement suggests the story won’t be limited to pushing weight low and back, but rather to the edges (both front and back) presumably to create greater functional differentiation between models while optimizing launch conditions for both low- and high-spin players.

Topping the odds at 8-1 at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, Bryson DeChambeau is the consensus favorite to win the Masters this week.

Puma is celebrating the conclusion of the 2020 major season with a Masters themed bonanza. Rickie, Bryson and Gary have been decked out with the most colorful and vibrant designs that fit The Masters persona to a tee.

Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, and major winner Bryson DeChambeau, will be rocking pieces from PUMA Golf’s Autumn/Winter 2020 Collection. Everything is highlighted by the Experience Collection of apparel, footwear and accessories that take inspiration from the most beautiful three-hole stretch in golf.

Get ready for an explosion of colorful apparel, shoes and golf bags.

The post PUMA CELEBRATES THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2020 MAJOR SEASON appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

It's Masters week in November for the first time. Can Tiger repeat? Or will Bryson DeChambeau fulfill everyone's expectations? Our experts offer their best bets.

Today we give you your first look at the new PXG One & Done putter. The PXG One & Done mallet is the second release in PXG’s Battle Ready Collection, reinforcing last month’s PXG Blackjack release. Like the Blackjack, the PXG One & Done features 100-percent milled multi-material construction, bold PXG styling and stability-promoting high MOI (moment of inertia) numbers.

But the real story of the PXG One & Done is alignment.

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Specifications: PXG One & Done

Construction: 100-percent milled aerospace-grade aluminum and tungstenHosel: Four options (heel shafted, double bend, plumber’s and armlock)Face: PXG’s Pyramid Face pattern millingLength: 33”-36”Loft: 3°Lie: 70°Grip: PXG Lamkin Sink Fit (SuperStroke grips also available)Weight: 70-gram range based upon neck and sole weight configurationPrice: $395 for limited time, $525 normally .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%; } }

PXG One & Done: Materials

Like its Blackjack predecessor, the PXG One & Done features milled aerospace-grade aluminum and tungsten. This time around, the high-density tungsten is positioned low and rearward as opposed to the Blackjack’s predominantly perimeter placement. By placing a large portion of the putter’s mass toward the rear, PXG reports that the center of gravity has shifted back 0.58 inches. This shift is said to benefit “both swing and stability dynamics.”

This strange year has seen first-time major winners at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open. Will the first fall Masters continue the trend?

This Masters will be different, that's for sure. But the lack of patrons isn't the only big topic. There's Tiger Woods' defense, Bryson DeChambeau's length and a few sleepers to keep your eyes on this week.

Phil Mickelson practices off the 10th tee with his personal launch monitor

And that’s not the predicted rainfall total by week’s end. Though you never know.

I can’t imagine a more nightmarish Tradition-Unlike-Any-Other storyline than talk of golfers and their driver shafts. And because, well you know why, we arrive at the 2020 rescheduled Masters without fans, without a Par 3 contest and without the usual spring delights, 48 inches is the talk of the town.

It didn’t have to be this way. Of course, Fred Ridley is the Masters chairman and he had his shot to ensure a focus on skill during his USGA Presidency, as have many other leaders.

Without further ado, I give you the 48-inch roundup.

Tiger Woods held court as the 2019 Masters defending champion and grew emotion recounting last year’s fifth Masters win.

From Steve DiMeglio’s story from Augusta:

“I’m getting chills thinking about it,” Woods said about his one-shot victory over Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele, picturing in his mind a few moments from his magical journey to his fifth green jacket and 15th major championship triumph. “Coming up 18, and knowing that all I have to do is just two-putt that little 15 footer and to see my family there and my mom and my kids and all of the people that helped support me or were there for me in the tough times, and I was walking up there trying not to lose it, and still saying, ‘Hey, I’ve still got to two-putt this.’

“Then I walked off the back of the green, to see (son) Charlie there, just opened up our arms, it meant a lot to me and still does. It just reminded me so much of me and my dad (hugging after his 1997 Masters win), and to come full circle like that, it stills gets me you know, a little teary.

Video of Woods speaking Tuesday inside the media center:

While we focus on long drives and shafts, Masters numbers crunchers like the 15th Club’s Justin Ray will tell you iron play and very few three-putts will help you win a green jacket.

So with two aces in as many 2020 practice days, maybe Jon Rahm is someone to keep an eye on. And who says I don’t provide live tips?

This one is at 17.5 million views as of this posting because he was skipping the ball off the lake. Yes, I know, it’s a shot he won’t try on tournament play. Still, this takes iron skill and he’s just really good in general.

From pond to pin! Rahm skips to a hole-in-one on No. 16 at #themasters pic.twitter.com/JNNPWgW9OP

— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 10, 2020

Rahn’s fourth hole ace Monday was not caught on camera but the moment he grabbed the ball was later posted by the 10-1 Spaniard:

Tiger Woods still gets chills when he thinks about his 2019 Masters victory.

The traditional Masters Champions Dinner is Tuesday night ahead of the tournament, postponed from April. Woods, as the reigning champion, is bringing back a menu he has used in the past.

Jon Rahm had a hole-in-one on Monday at Augusta National. How do you top that? By skipping one across a pond for another on your birthday the very next day.