I’m not saying that Titleist’s launch of its Vokey Design SM9 WedgeWorks Low Bounce K Grind wedge was predictable. But as the sun rises in the east, we’ve come to expect some sort of high-loft, low-bounce wedge addition to the Vokey line right around that little gathering in Augusta, GA.

Two years ago in May of 2020, Vokey added a low-bounce SM8 K grind as a limited release through its WedgeWorks custom program.  Roughly two years later and the guts of the story remain largely the same. It’s not exactly rinse and repeat. But the clear similarities underscore a key philosophical stance or operating procedure for the industry-leading wedge franchise.

D.S.I.U. Don’t. Screw. It. Up.

Put differently, improve but don’t deviate (too much) from the formula that is largely responsible for its success.

With that, the timing of the SM9 Low Bounce K Grind releases makes sense as does the bounce/loft combination it offers Vokey staffers in preparing for the unique short-game challenges presented by Augusta National. Namely, plenty of tight lies, challenging green complexes, and soft, fluffy bunkers.

Who can win? Whos has the best betting value? What props are the most interesting? Our experts look at the Masters from all angles.

All the attention is on Tiger Woods. But who else should everyone keep an eye on as the year's first major gets going at Augusta National?

Groupings were announced on a soggy Tuesday in Augusta and evaluated.

Plus, quotes galore, player insights into the course changes (with photos!) and more in the latest edition.

The Quad’s homepage on Substack.

The Quad’s explanation page and website.

And the fast lane to the subscription page. It’s never too late to join.

Tiger Woods sounded "thankful" to be back and ready to play the 2022 Masters. What it took to arrive at this point required persistence, patience and appreciation.

Here is the full list of tee times for the first and second round of the 2022 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Tiger Woods says "as of right now" he plans to play in this week's Masters. The five-time tournament champion would be playing in his first PGA event since a 2021 car accident.

Hideki Matsuyama is still dealing with a stiff neck but hopes to be ready to play by Thursday's first round of the Masters.

HOW WE TEST

For our 2022 driver test, over the course of more than 400 individual sessions. 35 golfers tested 38 different driver models. Data was collected using Foresight GCQuad Launch monitors. To minimize variables, all testers hit Titleist Pro V1 golf balls. Outliers were removed and data was aggregated before scores were calculated.

Looking for the best driver for a slice?

The slice is the bane of mid-to-high handicap golfers everywhere. Whether caused by face angle, swing path, strike location, or some combination of them, watching the ball sail off the intended targeted line off the tee is one of the more frustrating golf experiences.

While no piece of equipment can completely eliminate the slice, modern drivers are designed explicitly with intelligent features to help tame that shot and keep it in play more often. Let’s look at some of the best options available.

The post Rule of the Month: Abnormal Course Conditions/Embedded Ball appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Defending Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama will host Tuesday's Champions Dinner at Augusta National Golf Club.

Should you ditch your 4-iron for a hybrid? Or maybe a 7-wood?

Arccos’ latest update – Strokes Gained by Club – looks to give amateur golfers a level of performance detail that exceeds, well, anything else on the market. Tour players included.

Essentially, this feature of the Arccos Caddie app calculates how much each club in your bag is helping or hurting your game.

Strokes Gained – Explained

Conceptually, strokes gained is straightforward. Every shot you hit is either a net gain (or loss) compared to a database average. For example, let’s say an average 5-handicap golfer takes 3.2 strokes to hole out from 150 yards. If you hole out in 3 strokes, you gain 0.2 strokes (expected outcome less actual outcome). If you take 4 strokes to complete the hole, you lose 0.8 strokes. Again, this is compared to the performance of an average 5-handicap golfer. It stands to reason that it would take a typical scratch golfer fewer than 3.2 strokes to hole out from 150 yards, while a 10-handicap golfer would likely need more than 3.2 strokes.

On the PGA Tour, every shot is subject to strokes-gained analysis. As such, the data is based on the performance of the field that week. The Arccos version allows amateur golfers to apply the same metrics to a more robust repository of data.

Chris "The Bear" Fallica breaks down everything you need to know to bet the 2022 Masters at Augusta National.

In his first Masters as a professional, Tiger Woods shot 40 over his first nine holes. Then he shot 30 on the second nine, and the rest is history.

Tiger Woods was the center of attention during Monday's practice rounds at Augusta National Golf Club, playing with Fred Couples and Justin Thomas, and hitting five out of seven fairways and five of nine greens.

On Monday in Augusta, Georgia, Bryson DeChambeau addressed myriad topics with the media, ranging from him reaching out to Phil Mickelson with no luck to his preparation for the Masters while he recovers from injury.

The Masters and Waffle House are two Georgia institutions. Adidas has paired with the breakfast restaurant chain, based in Georgia, to design gear ahead of this week's major at Augusta National.