Golfing News & Blog Articles

Callaway has announced its second-generation ERC Soft golf ball with Triple Track.Callaway bills it as the company’s “longest ball with soft feel.”Retail price is $34.99 a dozen.

With the second generation of the Callaway ERC Soft golf ball, it’s reasonable to expect some changes. Just don’t expect a dialing back of Triple Track to be among them. If you hate Triple Track, Callaway has a ball for you but it’s not the ERC Soft.

Callaway ERC Soft – High Energy Core

Callaway bills the ERC Soft as “our longest ball with soft feel.” I’m not sure what that says about Chrome Soft but let’s not dwell on it.

As is typical for golf ball stories, the Callaway ERC Soft golf ball features a high-energy core. “High energy” is always going to be relative based on the point of comparison so the simple takeaway is that golfers like soft so creating faster (high-energy) soft materials is something everyone across the golf ball industry is trying to do.

This is especially true for Callaway who, with the exception of Chrome Soft X and Warbird, lives in the low-compression space.

Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x Key Takeaways

Titleist has announced new versions of its best-selling Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls.Described as improved from cover to core, it’s the most significant improvement to the franchise since the original launched.The retail price is $49.99 – $2 more than the previous versions.

With the launch of a new generation of Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls, it’s worth reflecting about where the golf ball world is right now.

It’s fair to say the ball market has changed a bit since the previous Pro V1 launch. Soft balls, patterned balls, colored balls and direct-to-consumer options are more prevalent than ever and each has impacted Titleist’s supremacy in the ball market to one degree or another.

But, as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. While not as dominant as it once was, Titleist remains comfortably No. 1 at retail. Its advantage on the PGA TOUR is even more significant where Titleist ball use runs at about 74 percent.

Ben Hogan Player’s Black Combo Set – Key Takeaways

Hogan’s PTx Pro/Icon blade combo set gets a black finish.Diamond Black Metal – or DMB – finish provides durability.Direct-to-consumer price is $840 for a seven-piece set.Available today at BenHoganGolf.com.

The new Ben Hogan Player’s Black Combo Set isn’t exactly “new” but it definitely scratches an itch. For the record, it’s virtually the same Player’s Combo Set the company released last May but in a Diamond Black Metal finish.

“It’s purely based on consumer demand,” says Hogan CEO Scott White. “We’ve been shocked by the number of calls we’ve been getting asking for the Player’s Combo set in black.”

The original Hogan Player’s Combo set features Hogan ICON blades at the top end of the set and PTx Pros at the bottom. The original set comes with either a PTx Pro 4-iron, a Hogan UiHi utility 4-iron or a 22-degree VKTR+ hybrid.

The Player’s Black Combo set, however, is available only in the PTx Pro/ICON option, at least for now.

“We’re trying to keep our business as simple as possible,” explains White. “The UiHi is a good seller but utility irons, in general, are kind of a specialty club. But given the success of the Player’s Combo set, offering it in black is something we’ll consider.”

Shot Scope PRO L1 Laser Rangefinder – Key Takeaways

Shot Scope enters the market with a full-featured, value-priced rangefinderThe PRO L1 includes 6X magnification, Target Lock Vibration, red/black graphics & Adaptive Slope technologyAvailable starting today at retail and at www.shotscope.comPrice: $199.99

There are two ways to look at the new Shot Scope PRO L1 laser rangefinder.

On one hand, it’s the latest entry in the growing field of high-featured yet modestly priced rangefinders. On the other, the Shot Scope PRO L1 is a touchpoint for a deeper and more interesting conversation.

But first, let’s see what Shot Scope is bringing us for $200.

Shot Scope PRO L1 Rangefinder – Facts and Figures

The Shot Scope PRO L1 rangefinder is the first foray into the laser market for the Edinburgh, Scotland-based company. Feature-wise, the PRO L1 is the full plate of haggis. For two bills, you get 6X magnification, Target Lock Vibration, an 875-yard range and accuracy down to 3.6 inches.

You also get two other features you may not expect for $200: Adaptive Slope Technology and Black/Red dual optics.

Introducing the all-new Astro Tour V IV Driver from Masters Golf.

Masters Golf was founded in 1979. For over 30 years, their brand philosophy has been built upon the pursuit of optimum distance performance for all golfers and the development of clubs designed for ultimate ease of use.  

Their Astro Tour V series drivers have been extremely popular among experienced amateur golfers due to the exceptional distance performance along with a traditional deep shape preferred by purists.   This 4th iteration Astro Tour V IV driver follows this fundamental design concept of its predecessors.  Though it has an R&A allowed max volume of 460cc, the appearance at the address looks much more compact due to the deep face / deep back design which also helps promote a very strong trajectory.   

The Astro Tour V IV driver also features a 14g stainless weight plate towards the back end of the sole which helps minimize energy transfer at impact.   CG angle is increased to help capture the ball for a stronger trajectory.   Because of the deep back a low placement of the stainless plate, this CG design promotes a higher launch with greater directional stability. 

Donald Trump granted clemency to 143 people on his final day as president, including commuting the sentence of professional gambler Billy Walters, who was serving time for insider trading.

Are your drives randomly flying left or right every time you swing your driver? If you don’t understand what’s causing the flight path you will never be a great golfer. The swing path of your club and club face direction at impact are both contributing to your launch direction and path: straight, draw, fade, hook or slice. Check out this summary and then start practicing to shape the shot you want. Controlling the side-spin of your ball is the starting point for great golfers.

Golf publications consistently state that the direction of the swing path of your club through impact controls about 85% of the initial direction of your ball. The face direction of your club at impact causes side spin for your ball that move your ball left or right from its launch trajectory. Of course wind direction WILL help or hinder the direction of your ball but you will have to add that factor into your shot depending on the prevailing wind direction.

The following description is for a golfer using right handed golf clubs.

Use a Conventional Grip for all Shots
You should be setting up with a conventional grip with the back of your left hand facing directly up you target line. Your club should line up across the upper end of your fingers of your left hand (NOT YOUR PALM). The crease between your thumb and first finger on both of your hands should be pointing at your tailing shoulder. [Rotating your hands to a stronger or weaker grip will have an impact on your ball flight so you should test changes to understand the proper grip.]

Straight Shots
Because all golf clubs are swung in an arc around your body it is difficult to hit every shot in a straight line up your target line. Just setup with your toes on a line pointing straight up your target line. If your swing impacts your ball straight up your target line with a perfectly square face up your target line, your ball will launch straight up that line.

 

The post Winter 2021 appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried

TaylorMade MyTP Custom putter interface – The online design interface that allows golfers to create customized versions of TaylorMade’s Juno and Soto blade putters.

Your Custom Builder

Dave Wolfe – MyGolfSpy writer and putter fanatic. I’ve tested hundreds (maybe thousands) of flatsticks.

TaylorMade MyTP Interface

Like the MySpider design interfaces, the number of options is the most significant feature in the system. For a putter to be truly custom, you must be able to pick enough features to make it unique to you. Here are the options available with the MyTP program:

Tiger Woods announced that he had another back procedure. So what does that mean for him in 2021? We look at the year ahead.

The PGA Tour heads to California for Jack Nicklaus' tournament at the PGA West TPC Stadium Course. Our experts offer their best bets for the event.

Justin Thomas says he understands being dropped by a sponsor after uttering an anti-gay slur.

Vokey has added M Grind Gap Wedges to its WedgeWorks platformThe new offering provides an alternative to the F GrindThe price is $199, including customization

There were signs last year that Vokey WedgeWorks was evolving from a place exclusively for limited-run specialty wedges to a means to expand the SM8 lineup without forcing inventory into retail shops. That was the case with last year’s low bounce K, and that’s the case today with the new addition of the Vokey WedgeWorks M Grind collection.

The M Grind itself isn’t new. It’s a staple of the Vokey retail lineup. That said, the retail version is currently limited to lob wedge lofts (56° to 62°). With the WedgeWorks M Grind collection, Vokey is expanding its M Grind offerings to include 50°, 52°, and 54° gap (and I suppose sand) wedge options.

The Vokey WedgeWorks M Grind gap wedges include all of the technology of the standard retail offerings in lower lofts. That’s most of the story.

D.J. Trahan will not play in this week's The American Express after becoming the 22nd player to test positive for the coronavirus since the PGA Tour returned to competition in June.

 

The post NCGA Member Outing – Green Hills appeared first on Northern California Golf Association.

Tiger Woods will miss the Farmers Insurance Open and the Genesis Invitational after having a microdiscectomy procedure to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching a nerve in his lower back.

Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump just one day after the attacks at the U.S. Capitol, said she wouldn't "spend any energy looking back" at the timing of the ceremony.

This year’s PGA Merchandise Show has been cancelled, leaving some wondering: is attending the show even worth the effort?

0:22 – Most Wanted Driver Test check-in7:31 – 2021 PGA Merchandise Show has been cancelled18:20 – The worst products from Desperation Row24:36 – Embargo Update: New releases from Callaway and Taylormade32:34 – Why do old/similar club designs keep resurfacing?

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The post The End of the PGA Show? | NPG 68 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Phil Mickelson, who 30 years ago won on the PGA Tour as an amateur, begins his 2021 season this week. So what is fair to expect? Plus, making sense of Bryson DeChambeau and more.

TaylorMade SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max OS Irons – Key Takeaways

New Cap Back Technology allows for greater face flexPolymer badge create a hollow cavitySofter ECHO Damping System improves feel over previous models$799 steel, $899 graphite, available February 19th

The 2021 TaylorMade SIM2 Max irons are going to make a fascinating case study: Just how much better can TaylorMade make their signature game improvement better in just one year?

You can’t assume TaylorMade started the SIM2 Max project the day after going “pencils down” with the 2020 SIM. That’s not how R&D works. But there are enough changes, upgrades and enhancements to make the TaylorMade SIM2 Max irons one to watch come Most Wanted time.

TaylorMade’s game improvement irons have been middle of the pack or worse Most Wanted performers ever since M4’s third-place finish in 2018. That hasn’t hurt sales any as the SIM Max and its bigger and stronger brother, the MAX OS, were last summer’s No. 2- selling irons behind the Callaway Mavrik. The Mavrik, ironically, finished behind SIM – and next-to-last – in last year’s Most Wanted.

Go figure.

Still, TaylorMade is giving SIM2 Max some rather significant upgrades. We’ll see if they are enough to move it up the Most Wanted leaderboard. But in the meantime, let’s see what they’re all about.