The Honda Classic is down to seven of the top nine golfers in the world after Justin Rose withdrew from the tournament this morning to care for tendinitis in his shoulder.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Shoulder prompts Rose to WD from Honda
The Honda Classic is down to seven of the top nine golfers in the world after Justin Rose withdrew from the tournament this morning to care for tendinitis in his shoulder.
2014 Golf’s Most Wanted Driver – Beyond the Data
As you probably know by now, we rely on data and nothing but to determine our Most Wanted Drivers each season. Data is cool…it provides a really solid indicator of how a driver can be expected to perform for a range of, or even a specific type of golfer(s).
Of course, sometimes it’s interesting to go beyond the data. Does adjustability really matter? Did any drivers suffer because of their looks? What performance issues were actually fitting issues?
Today is for talking about some of the things we encountered during our test for which the numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story.
Adjustability
If it wasn’t already apparent, this year’s test suggest that adjustability is here to stay (how’s that for stating the obvious). Of the 23 drivers we tested, only the ONOFF (Type D & S), PowerBilt Airforce One DFX, Wilson D100, Tommy Armour TA845, Sinister Agent Orange, Cleveland Altitude, and Krank Formula 5 don’t feature some form of hosel-based adjustability. The Formula 5 and ONOFF Type S do feature interchangeable weights, and both Wilson and Cleveland submitted other models that are adjustable.
The days of the glued hosel are almost certainly coming to an end.
What cracks me up is that we still hear from guys who think adjustability is stupid and that if guys would only take more lessons, or “learn to hit the ball” they wouldn’t need the crutch that is the adjustable driver. The fact of the matter is that for some golfers…many probably, the ideal fit (whether your fitting approach is face angle first, or loft first) falls somewhere in the middle of a driver’s adjustable range.
It’s always preferable to have options.
I’ll also add that I’d like to see more (every) company move away from the 4°s of loft in a single head approach currently in use by Tour Edge, Cobra, Nike, and Wilson. Nike is slightly different in that they claim independent adjustability of loft and face angle. For everyone else, without dispute; as loft goes up, the face closes. As loft goes down, the face opens. What we’ve seen time after time in our tests is that, more often than not, golfers can handle relatively minor changes to the face angle without issue, but as you get closer to the extremes of a 4° range (8° and 12° in most cases), extremely closed or open faces can become a real issue.
So with that in mind, more often than not guys who fit into those 8° and 12° heads will be better off with a stamped loft as opposed to the all-in-one approach. PING’s .25° change is the outlier on the low end of adjustability, but certainly is true to the PING philosophy. What Callaway, TaylorMade and others are doing (~1.5° in either direction) with several differently lofted heads available is extremely effective because of the fitting options the range provides. Assuming a 9°, 10.5°, and 12° head, you have 3 different ways to fit a 10.5° golfer. Square face (10.5°), Open Face (12° delofted), and closed face (9° with loft added).
With no adjustability, limited adjustability, and extreme adjustability, it’s much harder to dial in optimal (or close to) launch conditions.
Paint
Year after year aesthetics have become less of a talking point. White is basically gone (for now), matte blacks and dark greys are all the rage, and between Nike and Cobra, we’re at a point where there are almost no limits. That has paved the way for bold aesthetics like Sinister’s (Agent) Orange, Krank’s neon green, and Callaway’s midnight blue (Big Bertha/Big Bertha Alpha).
Basically anything goes now, and while our testers have been more or less conditioned to look past anything, arguably it’s the greys (PING i25, Wilson FG Tour m3, and even SLDR) that proved the most popular with our guys. That said, there was plenty of love for the visuals provided by Cobra’s BiO CELL and BiO CELL+, and of course, Nike’s VRS Covert 2.0 (still my favorite).
Other Subjective Stuff
While we don’t grade on it, sound and feel are remain a constant point of discussion among our testers. Based on the feedback I heard, I think the favorites are the Tour Edge XCG7 and ONOFF Type-D. Both PING offerings were highly regarded as was everything from Callaway. Yonex’s I-EZONE TX and Cobra’s BiO CELL also received nearly universally positive feedback.
Opinions were mixed on TaylorMade’s SLDR and JetSpeed. Most everything else was generally regarded as more or less average, but the two singled out most often in a negative sort of way were the Krank Formula 5 and Cobra BiO CELL+. The Krank is higher pitched than anything else in the test, while our testers felt that the BiO CELL+ felt overly firm. My own perspective on the latter is that I really wanted it to feel like last year’s Amp Cell Pro (my personal best feeling driver of 2013), and it’s most definitely not that.
Being Different
Last year we discussed drivers that were different enough from the pack that it might have impacted performance. As you may recall, Geek’s No Brainer was noticeably heavier, Wishon’s 919THI significantly shorter, and Wilson’s D100, significantly lighter than anything else in our test.
While Cleveland’s 588 Altitude certainly runs on the lighter side, the weight didn’t cause any issues for our testers. It’s light, but not problematically so. Wilson’s D100 is a different story. To mitigate the weight factor, we intentionally placed the D100 at the end of a 3 club rotation (tester’s hit 3 shots with 3 different drivers before taking a break while the next guy hits). Hitting at the end of a rotation eliminated most of the issues that we saw last year transitioning from ultralight to normal.
Yonex’s EZONE XP was also a bit problematic. As you might imagine, the counterweighted design offers a bit of a different feel, so it generally took testers an extra shot or two to adjust to, or away from the XP. That said, it’s a driver I think would do a lot of good for a lot of golfers.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of any specific performance issue, I think it’s fair to say that both the Wilson D100 and TaylorMade JetSpeed do suffer a bit because of their extra length (both are 46″). Each accounted for a portion of the longest drives we saw in the test, but the length proved difficult to control consistently.
There’s a logic in that for Wilson; the D100 is designed to boost clubhead speed through weight reduction and length. With JetSpeed, it is, in my opinion anyway, an unnecessary distance play. I’ve tested at 46″ and played it at 45.5″, and like it a hell of a lot more at 45.5″.
Being different isn’t always bad. If you look past the SLDR for a moment, you’ll see that two of the drivers that performed best for our high swing speed players also feature the shortest stock length in our tests. Both PING’s i25, and Tour Edge’s XCG7 Beta come stock at 45.25″. As we’ve seen (and any good fitter will tell you), shorter shafts almost always lead to more centered strikes, and more centered strikes lead to more distance.
An interesting side note as far as shaft length goes; TaylorMade measures a bit differently than many other manufacturers. Despite their reputation for stealing distance through longer shafts, TaylorMade woods habitually measure 1/8″ shorter than nearly any competitor’s club with the same spec. So if you look at the actual measured length (sole to butt of grip), our top 3 finishers for high swing speed players (both distance and overall) were outfitted with the 3 shortest shafts in our test (i25 and XCG7 Beta 45.25″, SLDR 45.375″).
I assure you, there’s a lesson in that.
Shafts Matter
While we don’t subscribe to the notion that the shaft is everything (sorry…you can’t tweak launch angle by 4° and shave off 1500RPM simply by changing shafts), having options is almost always a good thing (I think I said that already). Once again, some of the top finishers were those clubs that provided the most options.
The stock shaft options for the PING i25 include 3 different weights (55g, 65g, and 75g), along with two different bend profiles (standard tour). Tour Edge options include “made for” variants of the Fujikura Fuel and Matrix MFS series.
I’ve come to believe that weight is every bit as important (if not more so) than flex, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that in both of those cases, having a 30g range to pull from made a huge difference in properly fitting our testers.
Consider Cobra’s BiO CELL+ for a moment. At the time we kicked off our test (pre-retail), Cobra’s plan was to offer the Matrix 6Q3 (Red Tie) as the stock option. Cobra has since added the Diamana D+ (74g) and Project X PXV Tour (52g) as stock options. While the 6Q3 is a perfectly good shaft (actually, it’s really good for stock), I can promise you we’d have seen better performance for both high and low swing speed players with the other 2 shafts at our disposal.
How much better would Bertha and Bertha ALPHA have done with more options? Would SLDR have performed even better with a 75g shaft option? What about Nike’s Covert 2.0?
Have we told you to get fit recently?
Headed in the Right Direction
And speaking of the Covert 2.0…as we said earlier, while you can make a case for Mizuno’s JPX-EZ, the Nike VRS Covert 2.0 is our choice for the most improved driver. I’ll be the first to admit that my initial read was that changes are purely cosmetic, but apparently there’s something to Nike’s Fly Brace Technology, and that’s reflected in the performance. It’s still shiny. It’s still red. It still has a giant swoosh on the crown. Under the hood, however; this is a very different driver (even if I still don’t love the Kuro Kage TiNI).
I just mentioned it…Mizuno’s JPX-EZ is a huge step forward from last year’s JPX-825. Mizuno was able to mostly retain the feel that our testers loved while adding adjustability, with lower spin. There’s still no 8.5° option, but the adjustability helps mitigate that.
With the FG Tour m3, Wilson has shown that it’s capable of creating a driver with the potential to appeal to the “serious golfer” crowd. While the m3 was practically sneaky in stealing the top spot for accuracy among slower swing speed players, this is a driver that everyone enjoyed hitting, and it certainly provides plenty of incentive to take Wilson woods seriously again.
The Fit-Limited
While certainly we saw standout performances from clubs that didn’t provide as robust a selection of options as others (ONOFF immediately comes to mind), there are without questions several clubs that potentially could have performed significantly better if we’d had more options at our disposal.
As was the case last year, Wilson doesn’t an offer an X-flex option in the D100. It’s one of the higher spinning drivers in our test anyway, and really wasn’t designed with the 8°, x-flex guy in mind. That said, it still offers an insane amount of fun for guys who just love to hit golf balls.
Yonex’s EZONE XP doesn’t offer an x-flex option, while we also didn’t have a regular flex or higher lofted version of the I-EZONE TX. Both are designed with specific golfers in mind, so practically speaking, it makes sense that they don’t offer a complete range of options with either model.
Like the D100, Tommy Amour’s TA845 also suffered from a limited selection. The TA845 is available in 9.5° and 10.5° only, and only in regular and stiff flex. Again, that’s to be expected given its position as Sports Authority’s house brand. Worth mentioning, for the players that it fit well, performance was on par with nearly everything else in our test. That’s impressive given that the TA845 retails for $149, and occasionally goes on sale for as little as $99.
We absolutely have to talk about the 3 Callaway drivers in our test. There’s not a doubt in my mind that with a few more options at our disposal, all 3 would have performed better.
While the X2 Hot performed reasonable well for us, Callaway was unable to provide a 13.5° (HT) model for testing. Our senior-most tester absolutely crushed the higher lofted model last year, and it’s reasonable to assume similar results this year.
When the results of our tests got out, a buddy sent me this: “You’ll never convince me there are 20 drivers better than Big Bertha“. He’s probably not wrong.
With Big Bertha we had both 9° and 10.5° models to work with, but as with the X2 Hot, no 13.5°. Once again that certainly impacted the results. I also believe the 50g shaft isn’t a great fit for some of our testers. It’s unquestionably too light for one of our stiff flex testers, and arguably too light for another. You can make the case that some of our guys almost certainly should have hit Bertha better than they did, in general, I think our guys – if forced to pigeonhole them – are probably more Alpha guys than regular Bertha guys. If you’re a 50g guy – or you’ve got the good sense to get a proper custom fitting, the Callaway Big Bertha is well worth a look.
The takeaway here is that issues with Big Bertha are almost certainly not about the performance of the club itself.
Of the clubs that many would argue underperformed for us, Big Bertha Alpha is the single most intriguing. Despite only having a 9° head at our disposal it still managed a top 10 finish. I can promise you this; whether it’s SLDR or G25, or anything else that performed well for us, if there’s only one loft available, none of them finish close to where they are. Given what we had to work with, I’d argue that Bertha Alpha overperformed, and that fact alone makes it extremely compelling (even at $499).
Callaway is now offering a 10.5° head (not available during testing). That alone probably gets into the top 5. When you consider the potential options should Callaway decide to make the 8.5° Pro model available at retail (and I believe they will), what you’re left with is a driver that could challenge the top of our rankings.
As it has been for the last few years, everything in the Callaway lineup is good, but Big Bertha Alpha looks to be special.
It feels a little ridiculous to put our Most Wanted Driver of 2014 on the list of clubs that underperformed based on the available fitting options, but I think the TaylorMade SLDR belongs here as well. Missing (unavailable at the time of testing) from what TaylorMade sent us were a 14° 460cc head and a 10.5° in the 430cc model. With the 12° set at 13.5° our senior/high loft tester was able to produce some of his best numbers to date. He’s a low ball hitter, and generally more loft brings excessive spin. With the 12.5° we saw improvement, with the 14° I’m all but certain we’d have witnessed insanity.
While one tester was able to take full advantage of the SLDR 430, our other higher swing speed players weren’t able to consistently get the ball high enough in the air with the 9° head (even at 10.5°). A couple of huge drives were hit, but on average the 460 provided better initial launch conditions. If we had a 10.5°, or possibly even a 12°, I’m all but certain we’d have seen bigger numbers from SLDR.
The Inexplicable
Perhaps the most puzzling numbers coming out of this test were produced by the Krank Formula 5. Most of you are familiar with Krank’s reputation (and their habit of winning long drive championships), so it would have been surprising to see Krank near the bottom for distance if the results hadn’t mirrored what we saw when we tested Formula 5 as a one-off over the summer.
The bottom line is that, nearly across the board, the Formula 5 produced a higher launch and higher spin than all of the other drivers in our test. For distance, low spin is imperative, so our results our out of character with what’s expected from Krank.
What’s up with that?
All we have are theories. Some readers have told us that the deeper face simply takes some getting used to. We’ve theorized that there’s something in the design that inherently works better for golfers with strongly positive angle of attack (your basic long drive swing). Without question, the guys who hit the Formula 5 best are the same ones that have positive angles of attack. For the level to negative guys interested in the Formula 5, the answer may come in taking less loft than you would with other drivers.
Also Worth a Mention
For those of you seeking to maximize distance, even if it means paying a fairly severe penalty for mishits, the Sinister Agent Orange is worth a look. It’s another that produced some absolute bombs for our testers (best to best it’s among the longest), but in our testers minds (and it appears the numbers back this up), the Agent Orange is excessively penal on mishits. More than any other driver in the field, our testers commented on the lack of forgiveness – although most said so after pointing out how insanely long it is when it’s hit on the screws.
The Adams XTD, despite a finishing well within our average range was a popular choice among our higher swing speed players. The most compelling story of the XTD is that Adams consistently tests COR during the manufacturing process to ensure that each and every XTD is right up against the USGA limit. With most any other driver manufacturing tolerances can result in some drivers running a little hot, while others run a little slow. With the XTD, you’re guaranteed to be right at .830.
I’m one of the guys who struggled a bit with the XTD. You can file my problems away under Looks Don’t Matter, Except When They Do. While I’m guessing many will find the crown slot off-putting, my issues with the XTD have to do with the total lack of contrast between the crown and the face. Maybe my eyes are just getting old, but the XTD simply just didn’t look right to me at address.
Finally there’s Cobra’s BiO CELL. During the fitting sessions, and even into the first day of testing, guys were producing consistently good (even outstanding) shots with BiO CELL. It was an early favorite among several testers. For whatever reason…maybe it’s day to day swing changes, maybe it’s a byproduct of hitting several different clubs in a single session, BiO CELL didn’t hold up as well as we initially thought it would. Still…our numbers suggest performance in on par with the bulk of what we tested. Needless to say, there’s nothing about BiO CELL that should discourage Cobra fans, or anyone else.
Full 2014 Most Wanted Driver Coverage
:: Coming Soon – MyGolfSpy’s 2014 Most Wanted Driver Test
:: 2014 Golf’s Most Wanted Driver – It’s Go Time
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – Distance Awards
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – Accuracy Awards
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – Overall Winners
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – Tester’s Pick
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – Beyond the Data
:: 2014 Most Wanted Driver – The Data (Coming Soon)
Swing along the Mornington Peninsula Golf Trail
Golf Mornington Peninsula has launched the inaugural Golf Trail for the Mornington Peninsula with the support from their Premier Partner – Yamaha Golf Cars.
The Mornington Peninsula (only 75 minutes from Melbourne) is quickly gaining national and global recognition as a golf destination the equal of anywhere in the world. Golf enthusiasts are discovering that the combination of courses, their accessibility, their variety and the sheer number of them (18 courses and 15 golf clubs) provides a package that is hard to resist.
World-famous architects have delighted in the opportunity to work with Mother Nature to create wonderful examples of links, resort and traditional courses. Among these are Moonah Links (designed by Thomson Perrett), St Andrews Beach (designed by Tom Doak), RACV Cape Schanck (designed y Robert Trent Jones Jr), to name just a few. Nine of the Mornington Peninsula courses have been named by Golf Australia magazine as being in the Top 100 Australian courses for 2014.
Fourteen of the Peninsula clubs are participating in the Golf Trail and players need only play seven different courses within 18 months to receive a reward of a golf polo shirt and cap. Then play the remaining fourteen courses within 36 months to be rewarded with a framed photograph of the fourteen courses.
The courses provide exhilarating views over Bass Strait and Port Phillip and Westernport Bays. They also have turf quality that rivals that of the famed Melbourne sandbelt. There is nowhere else in the world where you have the opportunity of playing 18 courses of this quality that are all within one hour’s drive. The Mornington Peninsula also offers world-class wineries, fine dining and accommodation, national parks and beaches.
The Golf Map and Trail can be downloaded from http://www.golfmorningtonpeninsula.com.au or contact MP Golf Tourism on info@golfmorningtonpeninsula.com.au to have the Map and Trail posted out.
How does Johnny Miller know so much about choking? From personal experience
By Alex Myers
Somewhere, Johnny Miller has an impressive collection of trophies that includes one for his 1973 U.S. Open win and a claret jug for capturing the 1976 Open Championship. But why doesn't he own a green jacket to go with all of his hardware?
He choked.
Miller didn't use that exact phrase -- one that he's been known to say as a TV analyst -- but he admitted he sometimes came up short mentally in major championships, in particular during in his three runner-up finishes at Augusta National.
Related: Our favorite Johnny Millerisms
"The secret to majors, let's face it, we've made such a big deal out of major championships, that it's really about handling pressure. Some guys, including me with the putting, I just -- the pressure got me," Miller said during a conference call previewing the start of the PGA Tour's Florida Swing. "I was lucky to win two of them. I had three seconds in the Masters, but I would have won a Masters or two if I had just putted reasonably well . . . It's pretty amazing, if you win a major you've got to deal with a lot of choky-type putts and shots and handling the pressure of it and knowing it's going to change your life. It's hard to do."
Miller's three runner-ups at the Masters came in 1971, 1975 and 1981. His closest call came in 1975, when he and Tom Weiskopf lost to Jack Nicklaus by one shot. Looking back, Miller wishes he had learned more watching the six-time Masters champ and 18-time major winner in the game's biggest events.
"I think in Jack's mind he always thought he was the guy to beat," Miller said. "I had a little run there where I could shoot lower than Jack because my iron game was way more aggressive and quite frankly better than Jack, and I had a lot more horsepower because he played a very conservative game, which I wish I would have learned for the major championships. But like a dumbbell I thought that the U.S. Open was played like the Phoenix Open, and it was pretty stupid of me. I should have changed gears."
Related: It's 2014, but Johnny Miller is still Johnny Miller
A 'dumbbell'? How's that for an honest assessment? Johnny, it may be too late to change your playing history, but the good news is there's still plenty of time to work that term into your announcing repertoire.
Furman coach: Players 'feeling the pressure'
Leading Furman's efforts at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, one Paladins freshman said he already has spoken with several coaches about transferring while awaiting his team's fate. "You think you’re done with all that," he said of thinking about teams.
Match Play top 20: Day's finale, Dubuisson's saves, more
Match play offers so much that stroke play can’t return, so here’s a top-20 list for recapping the 2014 edition of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Allred's manager: Couple welcomes baby girl
Jason Allred and his wife welcomed a baby girl Monday, the player's manager tweeted -- which could mean he will be able to play in this week's Honda Classic on PGA Tour.
9 ways Ramis, dead at 69, made 'Caddyshack' great
Harold Ramis reached the hearts and funny bones of golfers everywhere with his 1980 directorial debut, "Caddyshack," which he also co-wrote. Here are nine ways that entertainment website IMDB.com says Ramis, who died Monday, worked his comedic magic.
Jason Day wins epic WGC Match Play final: wrap and video highlights
Jason Day and Victor Dubuisson battled out a truly epic WGC Match Play final in Phoenix.
Jason Day has won a truly epic 2014 WGC Accenture Match Play. Day outlasted Frenchman Victor Dubuisson in 23 holes to capture the biggest win of his career and jump to fourth place in the world golf rankings.
Day defeated good friend Rickie Fowler 3&2 in the morning’s semi-final to advance to the final. Dubuisson managed to eke out a 1up victory over Ernie Els to take his place in the final which will not only be remembered for Day’s biggest career victory, but for Dubuisson’s heroics around the greens.
The miraculous recovery shots of Victor Dubuisson: video
If you haven’t seen Victor Dubuisson’s remarkable recovery shorts from this morning’s WGC Accenture Match Play final check these videos out.
In one of the most amazing matches in recent memory, Jason Day beat Victor Dubuisson at the 23rd hole of the WGC Accenture Match Play.
The match looked to be Day’s after shooting out to an early lead, but Dubuisson ate away at the lead and played some Houdini-like recovery shots to stay in the match during the playoff holes.
The ousted Ukrainian President has some lavish golf clubs. Well, not anymore.
VIDEO: Dubuisson's clutch recovery shots at Match Play
Victor Dubuisson's recovery shots on the 19th and 20th holes of his championship match against Jason Day Sunday at the WGC-Accenture Match Play were certainly impressive, even if they just delayed his eventual defeat to Day in 23 holes.
Monday musings: Golfers' day via Twitter
Monday's musings from the world of golf were varied – and creative. Here are a few highlights from the Twitter feeds of top pros and figures of the game.
Day moves to 4th in OWGR; Fowler back in top 50
Jason Day moved to a career-best fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking after his victory Sunday at the WGC-Accenture Match Play.
TaylorMade unveils second Performance Lab
TaylorMade Performance Lab, Brisbane
TaylorMade adidas Golf recently announced the opening of their second Performance Lab at the new Golf Central Brisbane Airport complex within the Brisbane Airport Skygate and DFO shopping precinct.
The new purpose-built fitting centre is only the second of its kind in Australia and will provide golfers of all ages and abilities access to state-of-the-art 3D motion capture technology once reserved for PGA Tour Professionals.
Utilising motion capture technology, the same technology used to make today’s video games and movies, reflective markers are placed on strategic points of the golfer’s body as well as the shaft and head of the fitting club to capture a number of swings with the driver, iron wedge and putter. Six specially-designed high-speed cameras detect the reflectors and display a 3D computer animated image of the golfer viewable from every angle, allowing the certified TaylorMade club fitting professional to make accurate club and ball recommendations.
“The success of the first Performance Lab in Melbourne has been overwhelming and we’re thrilled to now offer golfers in Brisbane access to TaylorMade’s custom fitting experience technology within the new world–class facilities at Golf Central,” Swainston said.
Avid Sports Management has overseen the site build of Golf Central and Managing Director, James Cooper, is thrilled that the second Australian TaylorMade Performance Lab will be housed within the complex.
“We believe that Golf Central Brisbane will set a new benchmark in golf entertainment facilities in this country and we are delighted to partner with the industry leading TaylorMade Performance Lab to deliver a first class golf club fitting experience – it is a perfect fit,” he said.
Two hour customised club fittings at the TaylorMade Performance Lab cost $150. Bookings can be made online by visiting www.taylormadeperformancelab.com.au
Following the swing analysis and club recommendations made in the TaylorMade Performance Lab, your new TaylorMade clubs can be ordered at the Golf Central Golf Shop, or via your referring Club Professional.
Dress codes, playing rights to be overhauled
In a bid to bring new women to the sport, Golf Australia will launch a new program at this month’s Women’s Australian Open at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne.
The program – which has been shaped by research jointly-funded by Golf Australia and the Australian Sports Commission – will encourage a move away from traditional women’s golf attire.
Golf Australia Golf Development Director Cameron Wade says female golfers are being pushed away from the game by strict dress regulations.
“It’s something that I think needs to change in time,” Wade says.
“Provided it’s a neat and tidy attire in the female market, then I think golf needs to be open to changing.”
Wade says women should be allowed to wear a wider variety of clothing including typical tennis attire and even gym clothing.
“If it’s a new innovative product that’s going to have a health focus, wearing athletic attire to me would be a good thing.”
Golf Australia expects established private golf clubs to resist an easing of dress codes.
“That’s obviously going to be one of the barriers but at the end of the day you’re trying to capture a future participant in the sport,” Wade says.
“You look at Royal Sydney for example. They’ve got a swimming pool and gym facilities. They still have their rules and regulations on the course but the more flexibility around that, the better.”
Wade has tipped regional clubs and courses to welcome a more relaxed approach to the game.
“There’s more opportunity for that to occur (at regional clubs) than in some of the more traditional clubs in the sandbelt. It’s more of a relaxed sort of environment in those clubs, not worrying so much about what you’re wearing,” Wade says.
Golf Australia says men’s-only competitions on Saturdays are deterring women from taking up the game.
Wade is calling on clubs to give ladies full playing rights on Saturdays.
“There’s got be more equitable access for females,” Wade says.
“There’s also the flow-on effects. You could have kids coming along doing junior clinics (on a Saturday) and you could have their mums or dads for that matter participating. If you look at AusKick, you see that all the time.”
There are just over 410,000 female golf club members in Australia, which is about 20 per cent of golfers nationally.
Wade hopes this month’s program launch will help bring 50,000 new women to the game in the next five years.
“That would certainly have quite an impact. It would address the slowly declining club membership that we’ve been experiencing. Over the last 10 years we’ve been losing about 1.5 per cent of club members per year,” Wade says.
Golf Australia’s new program will also draw inspiration from European countries and how they bring women to the sport.
A 2011 study into golf participation in Europe suggests Germany is one of the main innovators.
“It refers to Germany as a leading example in encouraging women to play, by allowing higher handicaps (maximum of 54).”
Golf Australia’s program launch will also be geared to promote golf as a game that’s more social than it is competitive.
Wade says too many courses and clubs are pushing beginner golfers to play in club competitions rather than playing casually.
“The research we get is that people are now looking for more recreation-type pursuits. Cycling’s a good example of that, where you can just jump on your bike and go for a ride. It’s very accessible. We have a big casual golfer market that just plays socially for the enjoyment. The more the clubs can embed that sort of offering within their membership, it’s going to attract participants to the game.”
Alloy Silverstein to sponsor five Aussie tour players
Bronson La'Cassie
US-BASED accounting and advisory firm Alloy Silverstein has announced it has signed a branding agreement with five Australian golf professionals.
PGA Tour professional Bronson La’Cassie, who finished the 2013 Web.Com Tour season T36th to earn his 2014 PGA Tour Card, is continuing his branding agreement with Alloy Silverstein for the second consecutive year. A Brisbane native and University of Minnesota alum, La’Cassie has over seven years of professional golf experience, including a first-place finish at last year’s Cox Classic.
“It has been exciting watching Bronson strive to achieve his career goals and to stand beside him as his advisor for taxes, business planning, and financial decisions,” says managing partner Ren Cicalese, CPA, PFS, CGMA.
Under the terms of his agreement, La’Cassie will wear the Alloy Silverstein logo on his apparel and act as a brand ambassador for the firm.
In addition, the firm signed branding agreements with five PGA Web.Com Tour professionals including four Australians: Steve Allan, a Melbourne native and current Scottsdale, AZ resident; Adam Crawford, of Brisbane; Ashley Hall, of Melbourne; Cameron Percy, a Chelsea native and current resident of Raleigh, NC; and Bhavik Patel, a Fresno State University alum of Bakersfield, CA.
The 2014 season marks the third year of Alloy’s relationship with Percy, the second for Allan, Crawford, and Hall, and the first for Patel. These players have worked hard and are striving to achieve their career goals.
“It is exciting to stand beside these players during the budding stages of their professional golf careers and to be their advisor for taxes, business planning, and financial decisions,” says Cicalese.
The Web.Com Tour is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour. Players compete to finish on the Top 25 Money List to secure their chances at a 2014-2015 PGA Tour Card. At the conclusion of the regular season, the overall top 75 will advance to the Web.Com Tour Finals where the top 50 will be awarded a PGA Tour Card for the 2014-2015 golf season.
Under the terms of the agreements, players wear the Alloy Silverstein logo on their apparel and act as brand ambassadors for the firm’s accounting and personal financial services. Alloy Silverstein is on its way to becoming the preferred accounting and advisory service provider for players on the US tours.
We Tried It: The PuttLess
We love new inventions and gadgets at Inside Golf. Especially when they are Australian made.
So we were thrilled to hear about the Aussie-designed PuttLess, a unique golf tool that acts as a putting improver, ball-marker and repair tool all in one.
The principle is simple: when you’re on the green, simply place the PuttLess behind the ball and look down the black line towards the hole. The tool is designed to help you ‘pick the line’ or ‘visualise the correct path’ to the hole.
For many of us who draw a line on our golf balls to aid alignment, the PuttLess takes this one step further, and visually extends your line dramatically, thereby helping you engrain the line into your brain. Adjustments are easy, as the PuttLess can swivel on the tiny pivot at the tip.
Once you are comfortable with the line, you pop the PuttLess back into your pocket and then make your putt. This simplifies the thought process and allows you to then focus solely on your distance, which is key to building confidence and consistency – no more indecision during your stroke!
We really love this little tool, and found it quick, easy and very helpful on the greens.
NB: The PuttLess is currently being reviewed by the R&A and USGA.
RRP: $19.95 (includes free delivery)
We Tried It: Vision ProSoft 808
Chances are, you’ve heard of (and have seen) the popular Vision+ golf balls. Conceived and designed by Aussies Bill and Wayne Bosley, the Vision+ balls have become famous for their big, ultra-bright visibility and the equally big numbers on the side. Great for players of all levels, the Vision brand has quickly grown in popularity across Australia and the globe.
Building on the popularity of the brand, The Bosleys have recently taken the next step up, launching the new ProSoft 808, a premium tour-type ball that offers increased feel with the putter, better control around the greens, and lower levels of back and side spin on fuller shots and drives to help players hit more fairways.
We took some of the ProSoft 808 prototypes out on the course last month, and we were thrilled with the overall feel and control of the ball. In truth, they performed admirably, and were well on par with Tour-Type balls on the market. They produced a solid amount of backspin around the greens when needed, and were equally well-behaved off the tee; finding the fairway despite the “very average” swings we were afflicting on the ball. Durability is another strong point with the ProSoft 808, as they took a beating over the few rounds, with nary a scratch or scuff (and despite all that, they still felt very soft off the clubface, due to the Vision GelSkin technology).
One of the more exciting aspects of the Vision balls is their ultra-high visibility. These babies positively glow in the sunlight, acting like a beacon from down the fairway. They are, by far, the most visible golf balls we’ve ever played.
Interestingly, The ProSoft 808 balls are so bright that they even glow in the dark! Great for those of us who play well into the darker hours.
The ProSoft 808 is definitely one for the “Must Try” list.
More information: contact Wayne Bosley from BozGolf on 0419 489104, wayne@visiongolfball.com, or visit www.facebook.com/VisionBall
Griffin, Lee victorious at Oates Vic Open
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride when playing off in his home country, his continental drought came to an end in emphatic form with spectators left watching with excitement on the edge of each bunker.
The 30-year-old Victorian received a pat on the back from 2013 women’s champion Stacey Keating when describing the victory as “incredible”.
“It was incredible now that I look back on the tension there in that play off. Matt (Stieger) was playing really well and it was going both ways, really,” said Griffin.
“It was awesome to get over the line and with that bunker shot, it probably ended up as six (or seven) footer and sliding across the slope, so I was glad it squeezed in”.
The pair initially tied for seven under par, following Day 3 leader Brett Drewitt (-6) while Day 2 leader Terry Pilkadaris tied for 4th with Andrew Kelly (each on -4).
Griffin was never a certainty for the title with many spectators highlighting his putting efforts on the 17th hole which enable him the joint lead.
“The two young guys were really fantastic, they didn’t make a mistake, so I really had to play some good golf to eventually get in front and get that trophy” said Griffin.
As a result of the title, Griffin will enjoy $150,000 in prize money thanks to a number of sponsors behind the 2014 Oates Victorian Open.
However the lightly built athlete instead focussed on joining his idols when looking at his new addition to the trophy cabinet.
“My childhood hero Greg Norman’s on there, so it’s nice to put your name on the same trophy as a great and there’s so many other amazing players on there, Peter Thompson is incredible”, Griffin smiled.
Phoenix based Queenslander Raymond Beaufils impressed early hitting seven under par for the day, finishing off the tournament tied for fourth (at -3) while South Australian Adam Bland followed close by; shooting under six this morning.
“I was running low on confidence this week but this round I guess I played conservative golf, no blemishes”, reflected Beaufils.
The 25-year-old continued, “I’ve been lazy in Scottsdale because it’s only a forty minute drive to the events so this year I’d like to travel around and hit some more shots”.
Former tournament winners Paul Sheehan (2011) and Matthew Giles (2013) would be cut from the group in the first round while Gareth Paddison, the last International winner from 2004, finished in the bottom two overall (+10).
However it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the remaining trophy keepers after Jason Norris recorded four consecutive birdies this morning.
“My week wasn’t great but the course was superb, to finish on a high today was very nice”, said Norris.
On the women’s side, a new star was born. Minjee Lee finished with a score of -16 (-6 on the day) to claim the 2014 Oates Victorian Open Women’s trophy.
She started the day in sole possession of the lead at -10 with local girl Sarah Jane Smith and Victorian amateur Su-Hyun Oh right on her heels. None of the aforementioned players could afford to drop a shot. Once the door was opened for one to take advantage of another’s slip up, the chance was taken. No one, however, could match Lee’s play. It was precise, dominant, elegant, near-perfect aside from two bogeys on 1 and 3, yet undoubtedly merciless. All she had to do after the fifteenth hole was par out for the win.
Lee had the following to say, when asked about when she felt she had the tournament in her pocket.
“Ya maybe after 15, I saw the leaderboard. I didn’t have to do anything crazy.”
“Just finish my round.”
She was ever so graceful in speaking about her first win in a pro tournament. In fact it was tough for her to believe that she had achieved such a feet.
“Not really. I am just kind of like ahh I won. Nothing has sunk in yet. It was good.”
She certainly learned how to win from playing in the Masters and last week’s Women’s Australian Open.
“I don’t know. I think just being in that situation. I was so much more comfortable in today’s round. I guess I have just gotten used to it. “
Lee’s nerves got her early and then she settled in and became calm.
“Bogey birdie then bogey again. I wasn’t really settled in but after the next hole I was really calm. I just hit some good shots and made birdies after that.”
Runner up Vikki Laing put the pressure on down the stretch. Laing carded the best round of the day at -8. She started with a bogey on 1 but then rallied immediately with birdies on 2,3 and 4. She came home with birdies on 15,16 and 18 and signed her card at -8 for the tournament, a valiant effort from the Scottish player.
Early scores in the day had reigning champion Stacey Keating card a +5 and finish tied for fifteenth at +3, while the tournament’s most recent international winner (2012), Joanna Klatten (France), slipped out of the top twenty and was amongst two players tied at +8.
Having won at the amateur level, this is the first major win in a professional tournament for Lee.
This a big step forward in her young career as she follows up some brilliant performances this ALPG season with a massive win. Lee’s summer had her entering the Women’s Australian Open with the lead on Sunday, coming second in the Ladies Masters and finishing fifth at the New South Wales Open as the top amateur.
“I wasn’t really thinking about much going into this round my head was clear. I kind of played and took it as it came.”
“Nothing changes for me.”
Day on top of the World with win at WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
Jason Day with the Walter Hagen Cup (Photo: Getty)
Australian Jason Day outlasted the determined and talented Victor Dubuisson of France in a thrilling 23-hole final in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Dubuisson edged out South African Ernie Els one up in the morning semi-final before taking on Day, who beat Rickie Fowler 3&2 in the other last-four clash.
Day was three-up after 12 holes, and very nearly closed out the final on two occasions on the following holes, with a pair of putts stubbornly refusing to drop. Day looked set for victory at two up with two to play, but Dubuisson fought back in sublime fashion with up-and-downs from sand on the 17th and 18th to win both holes, and force a sudden-death playoff.
The 23 year-old Frenchman kept the match alive with miraculous shots from cacti following errant approaches on the first two extra holes, saving par both times. Both shots were some of the best ever seen at the event, with most viewers in awe of the spectacular results from seemingly dead lies. The Frenchman later had a 20-foot putt to win on the 22nd, which came up agonisingly short.
Dubuisson’s short game was magnificent all day, but on the 23rd hole his chip from thick rough ran way past the flag, and Day’s par was enough to clinch the title and the US$1,530,000 first prize.
Dubuisson’s performance drew comparisons with the late Seve Ballesteros for his never say die attitude and ability to conjure shots from nowhere, and he described the two chips from the desert as “amazing”.
“I just played them like I had nothing to lose,” he said. “I’m happy but at the same time disappointed, because this afternoon I didn’t play very well. I just battled, especially on the back nine.
“I made some good shots, but Jason made some very good putts during the round. His birdie on the par five was amazing. And then he made a very important putt to win.
“I tried to do my best. I tried to fight back. I made a good birdie on the 17th, but in a play-off, you never know how it can go. Next time I will be ready.”
Day praised Dubuisson’s comeback, saying: “Coming down the stretch he was just unbelievable. I’ve never seen someone as young, apart from Jordan Spieth, and in the old days Tiger Woods, be so clutch, especially out of the cactus.
“I kept shaking my head because it was so surprising. There were a couple of times where I thought he was absolutely dead. The tournament was mine. I just stuck through it and it was tough, but I’m glad I got it done.”
Day won for the second time on the PGA TOUR and rose to a career-best No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He also moved to 11th in the FedExCup standings.
It was the first time the championship match went overtime since the inaugural year in 1999 at La Costa, when Jeff Maggert chipped on the second extra hole of a 36-hole final.
“Vic, man, he has a lot of guts,” Day said. “He has a great short game — straight out of the cactus twice. For a 23-year-old kid, he’s got a lot of game. We’re going to see a lot of him for years to come.”
“The biggest thing was, ‘How much do I want to win?” I kept saying that to myself. Last night, I kept visualizing myself with the trophy,” Day said. “I’m glad I could finish it off. But it was a close one.”
Final
63 Day def. Dubuisson 23 holes
Consolation match
64 Fowler (53) def. Els (31) 19th hole
Semi-finals
Match Result
61 Day def. Fowler 3 and 2
62 Dubuisson def. Els 1 up
Oregon leads through 36 at Westbrook Invitational
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Tait: New Curtis Cup selection process good move for LGU
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
5 Things: Day holds up; Fowler fights; more
A big comeback late by Victor Dubuisson -- his second in as many matches Sunday -- led to a dramatic, sudden-death fight at the WGC-Accenture Match Play before Jason Day won in 23 holes. Here are 5 Things to know.
Winner's Bag: Jason Day, WGC Match Play
Jason Day won his first WGC title Sunday evening, outlasting France's Victor Dubuisson to win the 2014 WGC-Accenture Match Play. Here's a complete list of the clubs Day used.
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