Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2017 i Golf Magazine

DRIVER 1) TaylorMade M1, 10.5°, Fujikura Pro Tour Spec 83 shaft, X-flex, 299 yards; $400 FAIRWAY WOODS 2) TaylorMade M2, 16.5°, 290 yards; $200; and TaylorMade SLDR, 21°, 255 yards; $100. Both with Fujikura Pro Tour Spec 93 shafts, X-flex IRONS 3) TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC (4-9), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts; price n/a 4-iron: 215 yards 5-iron: 205 yards 6-iron: 195 yards 7-iron: 180 yards 8-iron: 165 yards 9-iron: 155 yards WEDGES 4) Cleveland 588 RTX, 46°, 145 yards, 48°, 135 yards, 54° (bent to 53°), 120 yards, 60°, 90 yards. All with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts; price n/a PUTTER 5) Edel E-1 Torque Balanced; $330 BALL Srixon Z-STAR XV; $30 "I have 15 or 16 clubs that I'll use depending on…

Hideki Matsuyama is the best Japanese golfer to ever play in America, and that's high praise. His countrymen Isao Aoki, Tommy Nakajima, Ryo Ishikawa, Shigeki Maruyama, Shingo Katayama and the Ozaki brothers (Jumbo and Joe) all made a mark in the USA. Hideki's four PGA Tour victories match that esteemed group's combined number of Tour wins—and he's only 25. His powerful swing is fueled by strong legs that "pressure" the ground and help create a concussive impact. (His club-champion father, Mikio, helped him hone the technique.) At address, Hideki keeps his back straight and aligns his head and spine (frame 1), creating an axis around which to turn. Going back, Matsuyama pressures the ground with his right foot (frame 4), then shifts that pressure to his left heel as he…

You slice, in all likelihood, because you set up to slice: with your shoulders aimed left of the target and your right arm set higher than your left. To launch a draw, address the ball with your shoulders slightly closed to your target line and your right arm lower than your left. One move makes it all happen: Tuck your right elbow. Here's how. GIVE A TUCK Point your right elbow down like so for a powerful swing path. NO! I've set up in "slice mode," with my shoulders open and my right arm higher than my left. Not good. YES! The easy fix? "Tuck" your right elbow, or at least make sure it's pointing toward your right hip. The move closes your shoulders and positions your right arm lower…

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA OS $250; GOLF.com/callaway WE TESTED: 3 (19°, adjusts 18° to 21°) with UST Mamiya Recoil ES 460 graphite shaft PROS \\ PLAYABILITY: Excellent performer off the tee and solid from the rough and trouble lies; repeatable high ball flight; easy to alter trajectory and dial in draws from the fairway. \\ DISTANCE: Similar to what testers are used to; long enough on solid hits to get the job done; functional on misses, too. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Spot-on when you catch it right; covers up distance loss on toe hits and still gets the ball to the target. \\ FEEL: Sturdy, powerful and stable through the turf; firm off the face with acceptable feedback to the hands; weighting is fine, and fosters good tempo through the swing. \\ LOOK:…

IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, the thoughts that fill your mind at address represent a rogues' gallery of potential mistakes: whipping the club inside, cutting across the ball, hitting it fat. So this month, we're going to look at the many benefits of picturing perfect moves, rather than imperfect ones. Golfers are uniquely affected by visuals, negative or positive. The game's slow pace leaves time for insidious thoughts to creep in, which can sap your confidence and hurt your swing. Everyone from Hogan to Nicklaus to Spieth has praised the swing benefits of creating a clear image of the desired shot. But what specific pictures lead to good shots and lower scores? Cue: Kevin Chappell. The rising PGA Tour star banked more than $4.5 million in 2016. How? In part by…

You had a celebrated career before you turned pro. You were the No. 1-ranked amateur as well as a three-time All-American at Georgia Tech. Now that you're a PGA Tour rookie, what has surprised you most about the bigs? I was able to play a good amount of PGA Tour events right after I graduated and before I turned pro, so I more or less knew what I was getting into. But the biggest surprise was the difficulty of the travel. In college, I was playing 54-hole events maybe 11 times a year. Now I'm playing 72-hole events and traveling week to week. It's pretty taxing, even for us young guys. Is the Tour more taxing physically or mentally— or is it about the same? I would say both but…

For Scott Piercy, being an Izod ambassador is a great fit. "I think Izod's done a really great job," the three-time Tour winner says of the new collection. "They've come out with a new stretch material that I love, and lots of colors." Piercy appreciates the brand's use of performance fabrics and a sportswear aesthetic that helps him and fellow Tour ambassador David Lingmerth stand out from the crowd. The latest collection offers a tailored look, vivid colors and a modern take on traditional stripe patterns. "I try to look bold but simple," Piercy says, "and I think they've accomplished that." So what's Piercy's advice for looking your best on the course? "Buy the whole outfit on display: the shirt, the belt, the hat. It all goes together. And obviously…

IN A TIME OF such entertainingly fierce jockeying among the game's best players for the title of World No. 1 (see "Teeing Off," p. 18), it's worth knowing a little about how the Official World Golf Ranking is constructed. The ranking reflects a golfer's achievements over the past two years, with the greatest emphasis placed on recent performance. The system has its quirks. For example, a player can miss a cut and move up on the charts, while another can make a cut and move down. Such oddities occur because OWGR calculations hinge on the performances of every pro golfer, from current World No. 1 Dustin Johnson to the guys bashing it out on the Challenge and Web.com tours, among others. My biggest issue with the OWGR is its bias…

We're drinking Stella Artois beer here at the Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale. I guess I needed some liquid courage. A lot of pros don't drink alcohol. They're all about protein shakes. Do I look like I have protein shakes? Hey, you're in shape. Yes, round is a shape. You're 52. You've had a long Tour career, with two wins and 40 top-10s. I've just been in the right place at the right time. I got through things. I'm a survivalist. I'm not a superstar. I just kept grinding it out. You've won four times on the Champions Tour. What's the difference between winning on the two tours? [On the Champions Tour] you're beating your peers, your own age group. [On the PGA Tour], you're beating the best players in…

Draining three-foot putts should be easy. It's the shortest, simplest stroke in golf—just keep the face somewhat square and you'll make it. Heck, you don't even have to read the putt! But so-called knee-knockers turn everyday golfers into quivering bundles of nerves. Well, it's time you putt like a true athlete. An athlete fills his mind with a picture of the target (and nothing else), then reacts. See hole, knock ball in hole. It's that simple. Here's how to tame your nerves and make short work of short putts, in three easy steps. Good putters make the ball go exactly where they want. Learn how with the drill below. [The following text appears within a chart. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual chart.] 10 secs 1 EYE THE PRIZE…

I've made $11.5 million in PGA Tour earnings—but not by worrying about achieving textbook swing positions. I did it by learning how to get specific results: power draws, high cuts, high-spinning wedges and more. My big secret to hitting those shots? Powerful visual cues that show me how to correctly use the club. If your swing feels too technical, try my seven tips. Images, not positions, will help you bend the ball to your will. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then a swing picture is worth a thousand strokes. 1 FOR EFFORTLESS POWER picture three planes Rotate your upper body in this disc… …your hips in this one… …and your club in this one. All planes should run parallel to each other. You should exude calm and confidence…

CALLAWAY APEX $220; GOLF.com/callaway WE TESTED: 3 (20°) with Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black Hybrid graphite shaft PROS \\ PLAYABILITY: One of the best; as versatile as your 7-iron—a nimble, neutral hybrid that's up to any challenge; higher-than-expected launch and soft, sticky landings make the Apex a par-5 slayer. \\ DISTANCE: Longer than what many guys play, and much better than the equivalent iron—you can get the benefits of more loft and still fill the gaps in your bag; enough juice to carry the junk takes "layup" out of your vocabulary. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Laser-guided on good swings, with a fair amount of leeway for bad ones; misses scoot out to a reasonable range; ample spin off the deck—no problem holding the green. \\ FEEL: The best in the test; marvelous, well-honed…

GOLF CAN HURT YOUR pride and your posture. That's where spas come in. If the courses at these luxe properties put a hurt on you, their world-class spas can be a balm to both mind and body. Where laying up is always encouraged: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai The Big Island, Hawaii Black lava salt and Hibiscus—that sounds like the makings of a killer cocktail. But they also work as essences in the scented oils you get to choose from when you customize your treatment at this retreat. Nestled in a landscape of island greenery and dotted with plunge pools, the spa looks every bit a tropical idyll. A stone massage in one of the new secluded hales should not be missed. (Picture a hut fit for Hawaiian royalty.) It's even…

I FIRST HEARD about Sam Reeves 15 or 20 years ago. At Cypress Point, if good fortune got you there, a caddie might point out his magnificent house, between the course and the ocean. Someone would say that Tiger had just been to the Reeves house for dinner, or that Butch had given Fred a lesson there, in the backyard. In any given Pebble week, the guest list might include a range of Tour elites: Jim "Bones" Mackay, Jay Haas, Tim Finchem, and also Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and that whole crowd. I imagined the houselord as an industrialist of the old school, sniffing his port. Then I met him. A mutual friend, Brian Roberts of Philadelphia, got us together, in South Florida, during the Honda tournament. Sam Reeves…

DUSTIN JOHNSON'S ascension to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking in February means that 20 men have now reached that lofty perch since the list was birthed in 1986. It's too early to say what kind of reign DJ will enjoy (although his win at the WGC-Mexico City in his first start as No. 1 portends nicely). But here's my highly subjective countdown of the game's other 19 top dogs. 19. TOM LEHMAN TOTAL WEEKS AT NO. 1: 1 Is it better to have reached the summit for one brief moment or to have never peaked at all? That's for philosophers, not sportswriters, to decide. Lehman's 1997 cameo is a metaphor for the parity of the post-Faldo, pre-Tiger years. 18. BERNHARD LANGER TOTAL WEEKS AT NO. 1: 3…

Rules Ref: My tee shot came to rest in standing water within a sand trap. (A rainstorm had recently thundered through.) Intending to take a free drop, I used my wedge to fish my ball from the puddle, scraping the wet sand in the process. As I cleaned the sand off my clubface, my friend said I had to take a penalty stroke for touching the sand with my club. Is he right? —MARK ATTWOOD, CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Your friend or…frenemy? In this instance, your buddy is a foe of the Rules, which are rarely, if ever, as vindictive as he claims. (I wouldn't invite him on my next fishing trip, that's for sure.) According to Exception 1(a) to Rule 13-4, as long as a player isn't testing the condition…

A short backswing and a longer-than-normal follow-through ensure a soft landing. A HIGH, SOFT SHOT that stops quickly on the green is a crucial addition to your short-game arsenal. Greens are getting faster, and courses are more apt than ever to cut pins close to trouble. And maybe it's just me, but every time I miss an approach shot and have to try to save par, I need to carry a bunker, a creek, or a tier on the green. This is where the value of the high, soft shot comes into play: It's the perfect solution to clearing trouble and landing the ball softly and with a minimal release. Unfortunately, very few weekend players know how to hit this shot properly. They think they have to rip into impact…

You want your on-course chips to be like the ones you munch from a bowl: nice and crisp. Yet you may be asking, "Doesn't that demand perfect technique and countless hours of practice?" Not anymore. If you have serious chipping issues—whether you blade them, chunk them, or both—Top 100 Teacher Joe Hallett has a new, foolproof way for you to knock it tight when you're just off the green. His technique is unconventional, but it works. So turn the page and learn how to make your next chip cozy right up to the hole. (Trust us: You won't be able to stop with just one.) THE NEW WAY TO CHIP Weekend players commit all kinds of chipping errors: bad setups, big backswings, too much leg movement and a need to…

1 HOLD FAST Rahm's hands are firmly wrapped around the grip, which allows him to maintain control of the club. This is critical! Here's an easy trick: Have "soft" hands and arms as you start down from the top. The harder they work, the more likely you'll lose your secure hold. 2 GET BENT Jon's nose, eyes and the "M" on his cap tilt slightly to his right—all signs that he maintained his upper-body tilt toward the ball. Tip: As you swing through impact, point the right side of your torso toward the ground. 3 SHOOT & POINT Get your right shoulder pointing toward the target in your finish. No, you won't hook it—you're actually more likely to make a square strike. If you're really flexible, like Rahm, point your…

"Can you clear me now?" 1 MIND YOUR Ls Poor planning dooms most fairway bunker shots. Your first move: Check the lie. If it's bad, forget going for the green. Splash a shot back to the fairway. But if the ball's sitting nicely, your next checkpoint is the lip—consider the longest club that has enough loft to clear it. Then simply pull the stick that gives you the length to reach the green, or gets you as close as possible. 2 ADJUST SETUP To ensure clean contact, make some two-inch tweaks: Choke down on the club 2", position the ball 2" behind its regular spot (taking into account the club you're using), and pull your left foot back 2" from the target line. 3 FOLLOW YOUR NOSE Set about 60…

GAME IMPROVEMENT FAIRWAY WOODS p. 82 BETTER PLAYER FAIRWAY WOODS p. 86 GAME IMPROVEMENT HYBRIDS p. 90 BETTER PLAYER HYBRIDS p. 94 Ready, aim, fire! The latest long-game tools boast cool technologies—such as movable weights, loft adjustability and clever sole designs—to help you split fairways, hit greens, and much more. Our 40-player panel tested 16 fairway woods and 18 hybrids at World Golf Village Resort in St. Augustine, Fla., and Hot Stix Golf custom-fit each tester and recorded data using TrackMan. With two club categories— Better Player (more maneuverable) and Game Improvement (more forgiving)—it's easy to find the gear for you. You can also check out videos and 360° club views at GOLF.com. So turn the page—and come out swinging.…

BRIDGESTONE TOUR B XD-F $400; GOLF.com/bridgestone WE TESTED: 3 (15°), 5 (18°) with Mitsubishi Diamana BF60 graphite shaft PROS \\ PLAYABILITY: Powerful flight—takes off easily from the tee and fairway and really scoots in the short grass; flies straight but offers plenty of workability from a variety of lies; versatile 5-wood inspires some guys to drop their hybrid. \\ DISTANCE: Big marks for its driver-like length; top of the pack when hit on the screws; small misses get out there, but it won't save you on your worst swings. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Another strong suit; the 3-wood finds the short grass, while the 5-wood will leave you putts for eagle; does what it can to keep the ball online on small misses. \\ FEEL: Solid shots have that addictive "crushed it"…

FOR MORE INSTRUCTION THAT FITS YOUR GAME, GO TO GOLF.COM STRAIGHT HITTER You keep the ball in play, but a lack of distance puts pressure on your game. PIN HIGH (AND DRY) You can expect to see a lot of balls in the water at this month's Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, especially at the infamous island-green 17th. Most balls there come up short of the green, which isn't surprising when you consider that most par-3 tee shots fall short of the green. Here are a few keys to keep you high and dry on a watery par 3. 1 TAKE MORE CLUB Pull a club that will get you to the back of the green if you hit the ball solidly. This way, if you make less than perfect…