Golfing News & Blog Articles

If you’re going to become your best this season, putting in the “Inner Work” will be just as important as putting in the physical work.

Among the tools we have for mental training, one of the best is visualization or “mental imagery in golf” which can be used in a number of ways. Studies show that imagery is helpful for improving the following:

Mastery of Self e.g., being a strong competitor, more confident, in control and mentally toughMotivation e.g., seeing yourself winning a championshipCognitive skills e.g., planning your strategy and routinesMastery of Technical Skills e.g., imagining something you want to change such as keeping your head still while putting or improving your swingImproving Arousal Control e.g., being more calm over a putt to win

In this week’s lesson, I’m going to show you how you can use mental imagery as a daily practice, to help you:

Be Great This Year (Motivational)Overcome Fear (Desensitization)

Using Mental Imagery in Golf to Be Great This Year

The mind is like a heat seeking missile in the sense that, if you give it a target to aim at, it will find ways to move you towards it. In other words, if you have big, compelling goals, and you remind yourself of them regularly, you’ll increase focus, effort and motivation to take you closer to them each day. We get more of what we allow our minds to focus on!

Decide on Your Goals

The process starts with a blank sheet of paper. Write down what would be exciting for you to achieve this year. I mean really exciting.

After a 12-year hiatus from pro golf, Anthony Kim might soon compete again. Here's how marketing experts think his comeback might be received.

The post Anthony Kim might return to pro golf. What’s his value if he does? appeared first on Golf.

“Golf’s so crazy, when you have it, you feel like you’re never going to lose it. And when you don’t have it, you feel like you’re never going to get it.” — Brooks Koepka 

The dreaded golf rut occurs at all levels of golf, whether you are a professional, an amateur or a beginner. Perhaps, you are in a streak of missing cuts. Or you’re a college golfer struggling to qualify for your team… Or even a recreational player who cannot seem to close a round. 

A golf slump may occur at any time, and without the necessary tools it can be extremely difficult for athletes to bounce back from one. 

Performance Slump 

A performance slump is an inevitable aspect of sports (Goldberg,1998). It is defined as a prolonged period of decrease in athletic outcome. 

Research has indicated that performance slumps can occur for a multitude of reasons, one being psychological (Steed, Poolton & Alder, 2022) such as lack of confidence, negative self-talk and unrealistic expectations of performance.

We test and review Cleveland's newest released golf clubs to find out how they can add speed, distance and consistency in all conditions on the course.

The post We tested Cleveland’s newest clubs. Here’s how they stack up | ClubTest 2024 appeared first on Golf.

These shoes are trash!

No, literally. NIKE designed this special WM Phoenix Open shoe to look and feel like … well … trash!

Thankfully, the Air Pegasus ’89 G NRG isn’t made of real garbage (although, NIKE does do a lot of recycling these days). Instead, this polarizing golf shoe features synthetic overlays that mimic the stuff you’d find in your dustbin.

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This same theme can be seen throughout, including a special graphic on the bottom of the sole. The clear spikeless rubber outsole gives way to a wonderful waste-laden piece of art. A custom tongue tag and insole graphic complete the trashy look.

Besides the trashy upper and outsole, the Peg ’89 G NRG features an AIR unit in the heel for max impact protection and cushion. If you’re interested in how this guy performs, you can read my full review HERE.

Winning last year's Masters, and the guaranteed spots in multiple majors that came with it, was a decisive factor in Jon Rahm's decision to switch to LIV Golf.

Jon Rahm said it has been "emotional" to miss recent PGA Tour events and that he hopes there's "a way back" for LIV golfers to again participate in them.

According to Nielsen TV data, the PGA Tour's replay of the third round at Pebble Beach attracted three times as many viewers Sunday as the LIV Golf final round in Mexico.

Speaking at a Phoenix Open media availability Tuesday, Justin Thomas, in regard to PGA Tour golfers who defected to LIV Golf but may want to return, said he's "definitely not in the agreement that they should just be able to come back that easily."

Golf fitting is a process designed to tailor golf clubs to an individual golfer's specific physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and playing preferences. The goal is to optimize the golfer's performance by ensuring that the clubs are well-suited to their unique attributes. Here are key aspects involved in the golf fitting process:

**1. Professional Club Fitters:

• Seek the expertise of a professional club fitter. Certified club fitters often work in golf retail stores, golf academies, or specialized fitting centers.

**2. Player Assessment:

• The fitting process begins with a thorough assessment of the player's:
  • Height and arm length
  • Hand size and grip preferences
  • Swing speed and tempo
  • Ball flight tendencies
  • Skill level and playing style

**3. Static Fitting:

• Static fitting involves measuring the player's physical attributes, such as height and wrist-to-floor distance, to determine the initial specifications for the clubs.

**4. Dynamic Fitting:

• Dynamic fitting occurs while the golfer is actively swinging. This involves analyzing the player's swing mechanics, impact position, and ball flight characteristics.
• Tools such as launch monitors may be used to gather data on clubhead speed, launch angle, spin rate, and other critical parameters.

**5. Clubhead Selection:

• The fitter helps choose the appropriate clubheads based on the golfer's skill level, preferences, and desired performance characteristics.

**6. Shaft Selection:

• The fitter determines the optimal shaft flex, weight, and profile based on the player's swing speed, tempo, and release point.
• Factors like material (graphite or steel) and shaft bend profile are considered.

**7. Grip Selection:

• Grips are chosen based on the golfer's hand size, comfort preferences, and the desired feel.
• Grip thickness and texture can impact the golfer's ability to control the club.

**8. Lie Angle Adjustment:

• The lie angle of the clubs is adjusted to ensure that the sole of the club sits flat on the ground during impact.
• Proper lie angle promotes better ball-striking and direction control.

**9. Club Length Adjustment:

• The length of each club is adjusted to match the player's height, arm length, and posture. Proper length contributes to better control and consistency.

**10. Set Makeup:

• The fitter helps determine the composition of the player's set, including the number of clubs, hybrids, and wedges.
• Considerations include distance gapping, versatility, and the player's preferred combination of clubs.

**11. Trial and Testing:

• The player often tests different club configurations on the range or in a simulator.
• Feedback from the player during this process is crucial for fine-tuning the specifications.

**12. Final Adjustments:

• Based on the trial results, the final adjustments are made to the club specifications, ensuring the best possible fit for the golfer.

**13. Follow-Up:

• Regular follow-ups may be recommended to assess changes in the player's swing and performance, ensuring that the clubs continue to match their evolving needs.

**14. Equipment Education:

• The club fitter provides insights on the golfer's equipment, helping them understand how specific adjustments influence performance.

**15. Ongoing Relationship:

• Building an ongoing relationship with a club fitter can be beneficial, especially as the player's game evolves and equipment needs may change.

Golf fitting is an investment in improving one's game by optimizing equipment to match individual characteristics and playing style. Professional club fitting can result in better accuracy, distance, and overall performance on the golf course.

Defending Scottish Open champion Rory McIlroy confirmed Tuesday that he will defend his title at The Renaissance Club from July 11-14 ahead of The 152nd Open the following week.

Jessica Korda, six-time LPGA Tour champ, took to social media to announce the birth of her first child.

Tony Finau, ranked No. 23, has committed to defend his title at the Houston Open, which makes its return to the 2024 PGA Tour schedule, March 28-31.

The 2024 WM Phoenix Open begins Thursday. Here's how to watch the event, including a WM Phoenix Open TV schedule and streaming info.

The post 2024 WM Phoenix Open: TV schedule, streaming, how to watch appeared first on Golf.

The new Tour Edge Hot Launch 524 series is coming to retail March 1. 

The 524 series—the eighth iteration of the Hot Launch line—is split into two ranges: the E524 and C524. The E (extreme) range include “super game-improvement clubs” with an extremely low center of gravity, super-shallow faces and offset designs to get the ball airborne. The C (competition) range has “competition-spec game-improvement clubs” with a higher moment of inertia in classically shaped clubs that are more traditional at address while still offering added forgiveness. 

Tour Edge is including innovations from their Tour-preferred Exotics line for this game-improvement series which is largely geared toward mid tovhigh handicappers. All six metalwoods in the series  feature Tour Edge’s Ridgeback crown technology, a rail that provides additional structural support for the crown, reducing deformation at impact so more energy can be transferred to the ball.

In addition to making affordable game-improvement clubs, Tour Edge is looking to expand in the custom fitting and fast shipping spaces. Game-improvement clubs and accessibility for custom fitting normally don’t pair together—Tour Edge wants to change that. 

Hot Launch 524 Series mobile fitting bags will be available at more than 1,500 locations. Any custom order from an authorized Tour Edge fitter will be hand-built at Tour Edge’s headquarters in Batavia, Ill., and will ship within 48 hours for all orders placed in the continental United States.

A win over the Golden Knights would give the Oilers a tie atop the longest NHL winning streaks. Here's a list of others across the sports world.

Two weeks ago, the golf world convened in Orlando, Fla., for the 71st PGA Show. More than 31,000 golf industry professionals from 89 countries and every U.S. state came together with more than 1,000 companies and brands. 

There were nearly 10 miles of golf-laden aisles inside the Orange County Convention Center. If it had some connection to the game—clubs, simulators, apparel, carts, training aids, new gadgets or anything else the mind could conjure—you could find it at the PGA Show. 

Our team scoured every aisle looking for standout products. We spend considerable time on major equipment manufacturers throughout the year so this list focuses on other innovations and technological advances. These are products that could really make a difference in the golf world moving forward. 

Here are our picks for the best new golf products from the 2024 PGA Show. 

PuttView Moving Series

The technology now available in practice putting greens is stunning. 

Look, we don’t know what’s going to come of TaylorMade’s lawsuit against Costco. Pictures tell us little if anything, but they are fun to look at. But the fact that golf’s social media brigades lose their freaking minds over a $499 iron set from the same people who make the best damn pesto I’ve ever had should tell you we’re on the outskirts of the Twilight Zone.

Sure, the Kirkland Signature irons may be a hell of an alternative to mainstream OEMs. And The fact TaylorMade is suing Costco over said irons may make you want them even more. But seeing as how the Kirkland’s were scarce in the first place., you might want to consider an alternative to the alternative.

Yep, Kirkland Signature is the 1,000-pound gorilla in the room. But don’t make the mistake of thinking the Costco house brand is the only lower-priced alternative to mainstream golf OEMs.

Kirkland may be an alternative, but there are plenty of golf-specific alternatives to Kirkland.

As we go through this list, you’ll see some surprising similarities between what these brands have to offer. However, they all have two key differentiators separating them from Costco.

The WM Phoenix Open lost two world top-five players as Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele have withdrawn from this week's event at TPC Scottsdale.