Golfing News & Blog Articles

Yahoo Finance’s Melody Hahm shares all sorts of amazing data on the upsurge in golf participation, lessons and sales.

It seems, again, that extra time and the safety of outdoor exercise in a beautiful setting is driving the boom and not any of golf’s PSA-fueled initiatives or the PGA Tour Commissioner’s claim of playing a part. Maybe that data is coming.

In the meantime, Hahm writes:

According to research from the National Golf Foundation, there have been notable increases in participation among juniors and beginners, along with returners, as golf has positioned itself as a healthy way to pass time during this crisis.

“The number of junior golfers (ages 6-17) could increase by as much as 20% this year, a potential COVID-related bump of a half million golfers by year’s end. During a time when many other activities were on hold, including youth sports in many instances, we’ve also seen increases in the number of beginning and returning golfers of about 20% during the first half of 2020,” NGF editorial director Erik Matuszewski told Yahoo Finance.

And this…

Super work by Mike Dougherty tracking down Hale Irwin’s 16-year-old caddie from the 1974 U.S. Open for this Westchester Journal News profile.

Peter McGarey is 62 now and traveling from Scottsdale with his son to volunteer at the 2020 U.S. Open.

McGarey randomly drew Irwin and got the experience of a lifetime watching the eventual three-time winner prevail in the “massacre.”

But they did have one early week issue.

“Hale was very nice, very strict,” McGarey said. “He was disciplined and expected the same from me. There was a set of expectations. I’m sure it was on Monday, I wanted to see Arnold Palmer. You wore those blue jump suits and Hale’s name was pinned to my back. Palmer was coming up to nine green so I was waiting. I had the bag with me and Hale grabbed the back of my jumper. He was not very happy.”

Irwin laughs about it now.

“Who wouldn’t want to watch Arnold Palmer?” he said. “We all did. I got to know Arnie better and better over the years. He was a great man and I don’t blame Peter one bit.”

The 2006 tournament stands as the 50-year-old's most devastating defeat, costing him the only major trophy he still hasn't won. But it also defined his greatness.

2020 RAIN GEAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Golf rain gear continues to advance and improve in all facets: better flexibility, better waterproofing and, most importantly, better comfort. As a result, this is the toughest test we’ve had in the rain gear department to date. That said, there are a few secrets that made the best rain gear rise to the top.

Rain suits are expensive but if you buy the right one, you have it for life, as long as you take care of it. However, if you’re a baller on a budget, some offerings in this year’s test have you covered. Literally.

With all the choices, finding the perfect rain suit can be a bit overwhelming. That’s where we come in. We tested the top rain suits to ensure you have the best information available when it comes time to buy.

Whether you’re looking to buy a rain suit today, buying advice to get started or just want a closer look at what’s on the market, this guide will help you find the right rain gear to fit your needs.

FEATURES THAT MATTER TO YOU

Breathability

There’s a rain suit for every climate. Those made for cooler climates trap body heat to keep you warm while others employ vents to keep it breezy. It’s personal preference but keep your climate in mind. Do you find yourself in humidity or freezing rain? That distinction can make a difference when it comes to choosing the right rain gear.

Performance anxiety in golf is the biggest difference between the range and the course. On the range, with no consequences, the swing is free and fluid, the mind is quiet and focused on the target. When performance anxiety kicks in, focus on the target is often replaced by focus on the trouble and the swing, which gets tense and quick. Timing and coordination gets compromised.

If there’s a gap between your performance in practice and tournaments, then performance anxiety in golf is the likely cause.

That said, everyone that plays golf experiences performance anxiety. Biofeedback devices tell us that our heart rates are always higher in a tournament round than when we are practicing. If you care about what you are doing, then your nervous system will become “activated” to get you ready for action. You might have felt this as butterflies, or in some cases, your heart pounding, your mind racing, sweating, shaking and tension in your muscles.

If you are going to succeed in pressure situations, you’ll have to learn how (to quote psychologist William James) “make the nervous system your ally, not your enemy”. In this week’s lesson, I’m going to share 10 ways to do it.

What is performance anxiety in golf?

Performance anxiety is our body’s response to fear of danger in the future. It’s a primal survival mechanism inherited from our early human ancestors. By certain changes happening automatically in the body and mind, it increased their chances of survival in the face of a serious threat to their lives, such as encountering a large predator. To prepare for this, the “fight or flight” response evolved – the heart beats faster to pump blood to the muscles which tense up and get ready for action, senses become heightened and the mind goes blank limiting us to the simple options of fight or flight. Even though we’ve evolved in many ways since then, our response to fear has stayed the same. Instead of it being a large predator that we fear, it’s more emotional, social and psychological danger.

Stewart Cink's long wait is finally over. He doesn't have to worry about being cast as a villain, either, as was the case when Cink outlasted fan favorite Tom Watson to win the 2009 British Open.

The Southern Pines Pilot’s editorial board is excited about the USGA-Pinehurst-North Carolina deal announced last week amid a global pandemic that moves a few jobs, a visitor’s center and equipment testing to the region. Then again, they also wrote this:

The USGA is the arbiter, trend setter and final authority of golf in the United States.

Moving right along…

Economic and golf officials believe the USGA’s operations in Pinehurst can serve as a magnet for other golf-industry employers. Just as the club grip manufacturer Golf Pride built a new headquarters and testing facility out at Pinehurst No. 8, it’s not a stretch to think that other equipment manufacturers might cluster similar operations here, just as they do now in central California.

Well, it’s southern California actually. And yes, it’s a stretch unless the USGA is shifting its focus from protecting the game to growing the golf business.

Carolina Coastal Online’s editorial was less kind, saying the deal “smacks of cronyism” and could not have come at a worse time as the hospitality industry craters without government assistance.

We knew trouble was looming early in the week and to no one’s suprise, the artificial wall replacing the seemingly artificial corporate chalet proved instrumental in Mirim Lee’s first major win. Or, to put it another way, likely cost Jessica Korda the ANA Inspiration.

Lead host/announcer Golf Channel’s Terry Gannon took the strongest stance against the wall—dubbed the Great Wall of Dinah by Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols. And Judy Rankin explained the purpose of the wall to maintain the 18th green tradition which helped for context but didn’t help us grasp how history would view the moment. She later added this on Twitter:

Just one more thought. Today’s players are so talented that they would find a way to deal with an island green. Do not need an assist! Only one persons opinion. Thanks so much to ANA for making golf possible this week! Great Championship! Congrats to Mirim Lee.

Alan Shipnuck at Golf.com was on site at the ANA Inspiration and explained the ultimate impact of the wall.

The Covid-induced move of Dinah Shore’s old tournament from April to September brought higher temperatures and a springier strain of Bermuda on the firm greens, meaning that any player who went for it on the watery, do-or-die par-5 18th had a good chance of going long.

But instead of the players’ balls trickling into the water behind the island green, the wall served as a discordant backstop, taking all the risk out of what could have been a thrilling risk-reward hole. (It’s true that in the past there has been a grandstand set about four paces further back than the wall, but with fans barred from the grounds this year there was no reason to have any clutter behind the green.) 

Lee was the first to arrive at 18, two shots behind Korda, who was in the process of making an outrageously clutch 10-footer to save par on the 17th hole. After a good tee shot Lee had 215 yards left, leaving her between clubs; 4-iron might not get there but 5-wood would come in too hot. Going with more club was a no-brainer. “Our play was to hit it into the middle of the green, let it run into the blue thing and get a free drop,” said caddie Matt Glczis. “Without that being there we probably have to lay up because none of your long clubs are going to hold the green — it’s too firm.”

I’m guessing this is the least favorite hole at Winged Foot West for many because of its difficulty and whiff of awkwardness. Over-draw your tee shot and trouble awaits a second in the form of a 110-foot(!) tree. But a right-to-left play is needed to a point because the outside of the dogleg offers a better second shot view.

Unlike so many West Course holes, the approach to the green isn’t particularly inviting for any kind of run-up and the bunker foreshadowing the approach could best be described as, really round. The overhanging tree is also a bit much and hopefully won’t play an outsized role in this year’s tournament.

That said, another beautiful green complex awaits featuring a center ridge coming off of the right hand bunker face.

No. 16 at Winged Foot is a 498-yard, sharp dogleg-left par 4 that requires a tee shot past the corner for a view of the narrow green. The right side of the fairway provides the best angle of approach.

In collaboration with @DeloitteUS. pic.twitter.com/k2dHjt7MqG

History, architecture and an epic clubhouse design awaits at Winged Foot for this week’s rescheduled 2020 U.S. Open.

At USOpen.com, Bradley Klein looks at Clifford Wendehack’s design, the many others he created and why he is the dean of golf clubhouse architects.

Ran Morrissett’s West Course review features plenty of details, critiques and some notes on characteristics might appeal to certain shot shapes.

For podcast listeners, Andy Johnson talks to Winged Foot historian Neil Regan who will teach you so much about the lore and design. A must listen!

They’ve had amazing finishes and thankfully the USGA has whittled down the drama into this 7-minute YouTube posting:

If you have more free time, this USGA film “Hale And Travail” has some incredible footage and moments from the 1974 broadcast.

Scottie Scheffler, a contender for PGA Tour rookie of the year, withdrew from the U.S. Open after a positive COVID-19 test.

Miguel Angel Jimenez completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the Sanford International, the PGA Tour Champions' first event with fans since returning from a break for the coronavirus pandemic.

Mirim Lee eagled the final hole at the ANA Inspiration to get herself into a three-way playoff that she won on the first extra hole.

South African George Coetzee shot a 5-under 66 to win the Portugal Masters by two strokes on Sunday.

I started to write this article about hitting straight drives with your driver. In my research I learned about the bulge and roll across the face of every driver that creates a “gear effect” which causes your ball to curve back to the center line of your swing direction. Then my research stumbled on the way to gain 20 to 50 yards with every drive. The pros do this, so why don’t you?

As an over 70 year old golfer, I can hit my drives 220+ yards but I wanted to know how to turn that into 250 to 270 yards. I have limited strength and a limited swing speed. I just wanted to find that magic formula to gain at least 30 yards on 75% of my drives. I found it with a higher launch angle.

I’m not going into all of the theory of the science behind distance but I do want you to know that topspin and too much underspin both reduce the distance that your ball travels. So we need to eliminate topspin and minimize underspin. Gear effect (caused by hitting off center) will draw or fade the ball back into our target swing path so that should not be a major factor unless you are killing your shot by impacting near the hosel or the toe of your club.

Swing speed is another important way to gain distance. Unfortunately if you have a swing speed which is crossing the face of the ball, you can either add a duck hook or a violent slice on your ball. So power and swing speed really have limitations for all recreational golfer.

The Magic Distance Solution [“Strike Plan” by Adam Young]
It’s a combination of swinging to launch a ball at a higher angle about 4 degrees up (plus the angle of your club face) without adding underspin to the ball. You can minimize the spin by impacting exactly on the perpendicular face of your driver launch angle.

On a day when eight players held or shared the lead, Brian Stuard, James Hahn and Cameron Percy emerged in front for a three-way tie atop the Safeway Open leaderboard.

If you were unaware of Saturday’s (mostly) social media goings on, a quick recap…

The PGA Tour reported no positive tests this week at the Safeway. That wonderful news tempered a bit by Mark Calcavecchia revealing on September 6th he tested positive and Tweeting Saturday that he is struggling with COVID-19.

Update from Covid-19 Ville. This shit is very real! And it sucks. I’ve never had so many symptoms hit me all at the same time. I keep moving around the house trying to escape it. Please be safe and wear ur mask. I thought I was but with this evil shit you never know 🤬🤬🤬🤬

The former Open Champion is the second known full-time Champions Tour player to have tested positive for COVID-19 and he deserves plenty of kudos for his disclosure despite still suffering from serious side effects.

Hang in there Calc and wife/caddie Brenda.

Steve Stricker shot a 6-under 64 and is tied with Miguel Angel Jimenez atop the Sanford International heading into Sunday's final round.

Brooke Henderson, who started Saturday's round trailing by 6 strokes, shot a 65 and is now tied with Nelly Korda atop the leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration -- a major.

South African golfer George Coetzee will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Portugal Masters after shooting 5-under 66 in the third round on Saturday.