Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Golf Magazine

IS GOLF MAGAZINE ONLY FOR OLDER GOLFERS? IT WAS THE BABY BUNCH THAT CRIED, “NO.” I PLAYED A TEAM event the weekend prior to this issue going to print, an annual 54-hole ramble in the Catskills, a few hours north of Manhattan. Nothing fancy, I assure you—the course and host resort were showing their age, to say nothing about many of the contestants. The teams usually consist of advertising sales reps and brand marketers from the former publishing giant known as Time Inc. (this title’s previous owner) and their clients-turned-chums. As the lone participant from the editorial side of our business, I am cautiously welcomed, yet warmly involved. Over the course of two days we talk a bit of shop, but mostly stick to golf while navigating a dizzying array…

The Most Important Things in Golf This Month You’ve had a win in each of the last two seasons. How confident are you in your game in 2018? I’m playing well. My game’s been nice for a consistent amount of time. And all we can do is try to improve. It’s an improvement league. You try to get better every year—and that’s what we’ve been doing. Do you set goals for yourself each year? Absolutely. Goal number one every year is get to East Lake and have a chance to win a Tour Championship. How about the majors? Last season, you were the 54-hole leader at the PGA Championship. You finished seventh after a double-bogey on 18. Looking back, how do you view the week? I take it as a…

Follow Mark Broadie on Twitter@MarkBroadie When it comes to the Tour’s longest and straightest drivers, the gain from longer drives outweighs the gain from straighter drives by almost a half stroke. OF THE 74 PLAYERS who made the cut at the Honda Classic in February, Justin Thomas ended the tournament ranked T60 in driving accuracy, having hit just 31 of 56 fairways. And he won the event. Was this an anomaly or, as an indicator of Tour pro prowess, has driving accuracy become irrelevant? Some numbers: All of the top ten players in the world are ranked inside the top 60 in strokes gained driving, yet nine of them are ranked outside the top 100 in driving accuracy. (The exception? Rickie Fowler, who’s ranked 39.) Despite the implication, this doesn’t…

Follow Jessica Marksbury on Twitter@Jess_Marksbury We’re drinking champagne today. It’s bubbly, it’s fun—like Amanda in a glass! In reality, I’m a beer girl! But I felt like we were in too classy of an establishment for me to be like, “Could you get me some Coors Lights?” [Laughs] You’ve done a fantastic job on camera with both CBS and Callaway, and you’re very active on social media. Your feedback is generally very positive on those platforms, but do you pay much attention to what you read online? I do look at it. I’ve always been a firm believer that social media is the best way to get direct feedback from the people that you’re really trying to reach. So if I open up my Twitter or Instagram feed and a…

Thanks to 3-D technology, instructors know more about the biomechanics behind the swing than ever before. One interesting discovery is that your rib cage is the primary provider of rotational power, especially on the downswing. Makes sense: If you turn your rib cage, you’ll turn your shoulders, and your shoulders branch out to your arms and hands. In not-so-technical terms, a shoulder turn without a rib-cage (torso) turn is nothing more than a weak lift-and-slap motion. Since learning this, I’ve asked my students to focus on rotating their rib cage, not their shoulders. It has lead to noticeable increases in backswing coil and swing speed through the ball. I hammer the concept home with the Towel Drill (below). It’s a great way to keep your shoulders and arms in the…

The last thing you want to do in a fairway bunker is to catch the ball fat or take too much sand. In either case, you have no chance of getting the ball all the way to your target. In fact, you may just leave the ball in the bunker. To ensure that you pick it nice and clean with plenty of clubhead speed, take a slightly different sand setup. First, don’t dig your feet into the hazard as you do when you’re in a greenside bunker. That lowers the bottom of your swing arc below the surface of the sand—good for when you want to splash the ball onto the putting surface, but not when you’re trying to rocket the ball down the fairway. Second, shuffle your feet backward…

Our 17-page guide to all things putting offers the secrets you need to turn card-wrecking misses into round-defining makes Scott McCarron’s chili was running hot after a threeputt bogey on the final hole in the second round of the 3M Championship, outside Minneapolis, last August. Itwould get a littlehotter whena reporter approached him and began peppering him with questions about whether McCarron’s oh-so-close-to-anchoring putting technique might violate the anchoring ban (Rule 14-1b), which forbids the bracing of the club either “directly” or by use of an “anchored point” against the chest or any part of the body. The ban was enacted by the USGA and R&A on Jan. 1, 2016, and players were given two years to prepare for its implementation. The cloud of controversy surrounding claims that some players…

TAYLORMADE SPIDER INTERACTIVE $399taylormadegolf.com The standard TaylorMade Spider Tour has been winning tournaments in the hands of players like Jason Day and Dustin Johnson for a while now, but the new Spider Interactive version is the one that weekend players—and all you techies out there—might have a particular appreciation for. Designed with a BLAST Motion Sensor in the grip, the putter provides real-time stroke analytics that users can access through the free BLAST Motion mobile app (for IOS and Android). For those who like to know their numbers, the app can provide real-time data capture of 11 different putting metrics to help you focus on specific areas of potential improvement. Elements measured include backstroke time, forward-stroke time, tempo, impact speed and clubface rotation, among others. A “guided journey” of instructional…

Ben Hogan probably wasn’t thinking links golf when he said, “I don’t like glamour, I just like the game.” But that dusty maxim, which greets quite impeccably outfitted pros on Carnoustie’s fiercely difficult 6th hole (“Hogan’s Alley”), gets at the disheveled beauty of a links landscape. It pretty much nails knotty Carnoustie, too. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing particularly sexy about this cattle pasture in Angus, Scotland. Not even the nearby North Sea wants to cozy up to it. But its history runs as deep as its devilishly bent burn, and perhaps because it’s considered a rota oddball, it loves to bare its teeth (p. 60). It takes a special kind of grit to get the better of the place (p. 64), and even as the R&A aspires to alter…

1 Which mullet-sporting golfer owns the course record of 63? A Pat Perez B Tommy Fleetwood C Charley Hoffman D John Daly 2 The original course at Carnoustie Golf Links had how many holes? A 9 B 10 C 12 D 20 3 Which historic figure worked as an assistant to the original course designer, Allan Robertson, widely regarded as the world’s first golf professional? A Willie Park Sr. B Willie Park Jr. C Old Tom Morris D Young Tom Morris 4 Carnoustie’s famous golf brothers, the Smiths, all emigrated to the United States. Two won the U.S. Open. Which one didn’t? A Macdonald B Willie C Alex 5 What did Sergio Garcia, as a 19-year-old, do after shooting 89-83 in the ’99 Open Championship? A Blame the golf gods…

1 CARNE GOLF LINKS BELMULLET, CO.MAYO Irish architect Eddie Hackett and Mother Nature paired in 1993 to create 18 dramatic holes in westernmost Ireland that deliver broncobusting terrain. carnegolflinks.com 2 LOUGH ERNE GOLF RESORT ENNISKILLEN, CO. FERMANAGH Nick Faldo’s rugged parkland design boasts gorgeous lake views that take the sting out of the shotmaking demands. ougherneresort.com 3 COUNTY LOUTH GOLF CLUB BALTRAY, CO. LOUTH “Baltray,” as the locals call it, is a handsome links north of Dublin that offers a collection of memorable holes set into the dunes. countylouthgolfclub.com…

Q Why do so many players I know spend money to have custom-fitted clubs built when I’ve often heard they’re not worth it? What if they don’t outperform my off-the-rack clubs? JEFF K., VIA FACEBOOK TIM BRIAND, MASTER FITTER/TRUE SPEC GOLF First off, no reputable clubfitter will ever stick you with clubs that don’t work better than what you already have. If they do, they’re probably losing a client. In our case, and for some other quality fitters, if you pay to get fit and your existing gear is as good or better, you get your money back. If you get better numbers after the fit but the clubs aren’t built to produce the same performance as the clubs you were fit for, we continue to alter them until they’re…

SHALLOW IT OUT IN THE SAND If you skull a lot of bunker shots, it’s probably because you’ve hit your fair share of fat ones, too. Afraid to take too much sand, you slide your upper body aggressively ahead of the ball, which moves the bottom of your swing arc forward and leads to ball-first contact. To remedy this mistake, place two tees in the sand about two inches apart and both deep enough for the ball to just sit above the sand. Place a ball on the tee nearest the hole and make several practice swings, clipping the back tee as the clubhead enters the sand and then digging out the front tee. This will shallow out your angle of approach so that you’ll hit the sand before the…

HOW IT WORKS Invisible watermarks on select photos act as gateways to bonus videos. With the Digimarc app, your smartphone or tablet recognizes the watermarks and automatically delivers the content to your device. 1 Download and open the Digimarc Discover app on your smartphone or camera-capable tablet. The app is free and is available at the iTunes store for Apple devices and at the Google Play market for Android devices. 2 Position the phone four to seven inches above any photo bearing the yellow SCAN THIS PHOTO label (example, right), as if you were taking a picture (flash optional). If you have access to a Wi-Fi connection, downloads will be faster. 3 Hold the camera steady. The app will click and buzz when it recognizes the image and then begin…

WHICH MAY STORIES AND COLUMNS DREW THE MOST LETTERS? SENIOR SERVICE I was introduced to the game at the age of 12 and was hooked from the start. Although my romance with golf has gone through some rocky times—not the least of which involved a hypertechnical instruction series that deconstructed and reconstructed my swing to meet a variety of prescribed tolerances—I still love it. I now have a platonic relationship with the game, but my level of enjoyment is waning due to the loss of distance and diminishing performance brought on by aging. I find myself hitting fairway woods or hybrids on most par 4s, and GIRs are becoming far too rare. The May 2018 issue provided a “Private Lessons” tip for seniors. Helpful, but we senior golfers could use…

For much more from Alan, go to GOLF.com/shipnuck Given how soft players have become, it’s surprising that Charmin isn’t the official sponsor of the PGA Tour. I HATE TO be the one to break it to you, but golf is going soft. Quite literally, as my plush FootJoy socks now come emblazoned with an L and an R, lest I can’t figure it out on my own. The evidence is elsewhere in my golfing life: hybrids instead of long-irons; a laser to gauge yardages so I no longer have to schlep to a sprinkler head; balls that fly forever but refuse to be scuffed, no matter how thin I catch my 9-iron; performance fabrics to spare me my own sweat. An 18-hole slog from the tips was the old standard,…

The leader in strokes gained from driving distance is DUSTIN JOHNSON, who gains 1.5 strokes per round from his added length (he gives back 0.2 strokes per round with his below-average accuracy). The leader in strokes gained from driving accuracy is RYAN MOORE, who gains 0.9 strokes per round with his superior accuracy (he gives back 0.5 strokes per round with his shorter distance). The most accurate driver among the top 10 in strokes gained driving is TOMMY FLEETWOOD, who gains 0.2 strokes per round from his added length and 0.7 strokes per round from his superior accuracy.…

Follow Joe Passov on Twitter @JoePassov THESE DAYS, social media is crowded with shouters convinced there’s just one right way in course design. But what makes our sport so meaningful for traveling golfers is the infinite variety of our playing fields. Rather than homing in on one “right” kind of design, embrace them all. Don’t knock Harbour Town because its tree-menaced fairways and tiny greens are poker-table flat. Many of us love it because it calls for precision over power and, as with few other courses, asks you to flight and bend the ball. To the critics gleeful to see Firestone Country Club’s South course exit the Tour schedule after nearly 60 years, tsk-tsk. Are its many parallel fairways and elevated greens repetitive? Perhaps. Does it embody a graceful style,…

Powered by the Top 100 Teachers in America Your right and left arm move in unison when you swing, but they have very different roles and motions. The left gets off easy: It swings across your chest in the backswing, loads a little in the transition, then returns to impact without ever really losing its basic shape. Hey, even a pure novice can make a fairly respectable left-arm-only swing. The right arm? It’s trickier. It needs to go from relatively straight at address to noticeably bent as you swing back—so that your right arm and hand can position themselves under the club at the top—then work even further under the club during the transition so that, eventually, your right elbow can lead your hands toward impact. Tricky stuff, like I…

It’s common for beginning golfers to “cast” the club—that is, to release it early—from the top of the backswing. When you do this, it’s very difficult to get it back on plane. The inevitable result is a path into the ball that tracks from outside the target line across to the inside, sapping power and inducing a slice in the process. To fix the problem, place one end of an exercise band under your back foot. Hold the other end between your hands and the grip. (You can also do this drill without a club.) The band should be relatively taut. Take the club back (stretching the band), pause, then slowly bring it down and through. The band’s resistance will force you to cast. Your job is to fight it.…

1 QUIET TIME Set up with a narrow, open stance, as you would for a short wedge shot. Remove your right hand from the grip and rest it against the outside of your right thigh. Placing your right hand in this position helps create an awareness of lower-body stability in the backswing. Quiet legs are key—short swings require little, if any, lower-body turn. 2 TOE UP Swing the club up the shaft plane to get the toe pointing skyward. Poor chippers tend to rotate their body early and then hinge their wrists incorrectly, sending the club inside with the face closed (inset). This is nearly impossible to do in a left-arm-only swing. Instead, your left wrist will hinge properly and support the weight of the clubhead. 3 PASS PLAY Your…

BETTINARDI BB 56 $300bettinardi.com Key Technologies Milled 6061 military-grade aluminum for improved feel; stainless steel topline weight that raises the CG for more consistent contact and roll; vented channel grooves in the sole and flange for extra balance; stealth finish for greater durability. Our Take Bettinardi chose high-grade aluminum for the BB56 because of the alloy’s weight characteristics, and the result is the company’s premier high-MOI mallet. Stunning looks and feel are standard for Bettinardi putters, and the BB56 doesn’t disappoint. Fitter Comments The face-balanced high-MOI design benefits anyone who doesn’t have a lot of arc in their stroke and who desires a soft-yet-solid feel and plenty of forgiveness. Recommendation Can work for any handicap level, provided they want a larger, high-MOI mallet that’s face-balanced. BLOODLINE RG-1 $499 bloodline.golf Key…

Most players are content to use an off-the-rack putter, or rarely consider having it customized for their buildor stroke.We get it—putting is a slow-motion task that lacks the dynamics of lashing long-irons and woods.That doesn’t make your flatstick immune to the benefits of clubfitting. In fact, even a basic tweak of your putter’s most innocuous specs can pay huge dividends. Here’s what to keep your eye on, courtesy of the fitting experts atTrue Spec Golf (truespecgolf.com). NAIL LOFT AND LENGTH Start at address, so you can ensure that you have a flatstick that fits your body and posture. Unlike full-swing clubs that droop and bend significantly in a dynamic motion, putters stay about the same during the stroke, so getting a length and loft that complement your setup is an…

We love to check out the clubs and balls that Tour players use, and we occasionally wind up adding similar models to our own bags. Of all the gear that pros put into play, the putter is one that weekend players can best wield without effort. Below you’ll find a list of putting-stat leaders and their flatsticks. Trend watch: All of these guys except Phil Mickelson play a mallet design (and even Lefty’s flange-blade has mallet-like characteristics). DUSTIN JOHNSON / TaylorMade Spider Tour Black The Spider Tour Black mallet putter that DJ has been gaming features a flow hosel and isn’t face-balanced, since most pros prefer a putter that releases freely. The Pure Roll Surlyn insert provides a firmer feel than that in the Red version. IMPRESSIVE STAT: 3rd IN…

In many places and to many people, this opinion borders on fact: The greatest of golf’s four majors is the British Open. For starters, it closes with the winner draped in these time-smoothed words, delivered with Churchillian authority: champion golfer of the year. Come next year, when the PGA Championship moves to May, the British Open will be the final of the four majors and those crowning words will become even more meaningful. If that’s possible. Yes, over there, in the kingdom, our American phrase—the British Open—hits the ear like the clank of a shank. As Malcolm Booth, the R&A’s head of marketing, said to me recently, “When we hear ‘the British Open,’ it just jars a bit, as it would for anyone who is called by the wrong name.”…

All credit to Champion Golfer of the Year (’99) PaulLawrie,but looking back at the Open Champion ship’s seven previous visits to Carnoustie, one thing becomes clear: it was not meltdown maestro Jean Van de Velde who cheated history in 1999, it was Justin Leonard. If the plucky Texan had prevailed in the four-hole playoff with Lawrie, he’d have fit quite nicely in the Carnoustie pantheon, all of whom not named Paul won multiple majors and at least several of whom were vertically challenged. The 1999 Open would have given the 5’9” Leonard his second Claret Jug, making him the least accomplished but still impressive Carnoustie conqueror. Here are snapshots of the entire crew. 1931 Tommy Armour “THE SILVER SCOT” Stats: 73-75-77-71 Course: 6,410 yards Majors: 3 Final-round notes: came back…

SHANE: “THIS OUTFIT IS SPORTY AND ATHLETIC. AND WITH THE BLADE COLLAR, I FEEL ‘TOUR-READY.’ ” KENZIE: “BONUS POINTS FOR MATCHING YOUR SHIRT WITH YOUR SHOES, SHANE. BUT LADIES NEEDMORE ‘POP.’ I LIKE A BIG-COLOR TOP WITH A WHITE SKORT AND SHOES. IF YOU WANT TO STAND OUT, THIS IS A SIMPLE WAY OF DOING IT.” SPOTLIGHT ON subtle graphic patterns The bright and flashy ombre patterns of years past have been updated this season with more understated graphic prints. If you miss making a bold statement with your polo, add flair to your ensemble by wearing a glove in a vibrant color, a la Kenzie’s G/Fore selection, or, like Shane, a braided belt for extra texture. SHOT ON LOCATION AT WE-KO-PA GOLF CLUB IN FORT MCDOWELL, ARIZ. SHANE: “KENZIE’S…

The Best New Gear RICKIE FOWLER has been wearing Puma’s innovative styles for a while, and he and the company’s designers never seem to fail to push the envelope when it comes to aesthetics and performance. The latest Puma model that’s surprising the golf world is the Ignite PWRADAPT Hi-Top ($220), the second pair of above-the-ankle headturners Rickie has donned since he trotted out the initial Puma Hi-Top in 2016. The Ignite PWRADAPT iteration features much of the same technologies as the original Hi-Top, plus Puma’s proprietary PWRADAPT sole that’s built with three-dimensional traction pods. The shoes also feature Ignite foam throughout the length of the midsole, and they’re built with knitted collars rather than traditional tongues, allowing for significantly improved fit and breathability. Other features of the Ignite PWRADAPT…

Tour players and weekend warriors alike are swappingout standard putter grips for larger-diameter aftermarket models. No doubt you’re wondering what the fuss is about. The skinny is that larger grips effectively limit the movement of the small muscles in your hands and wrists during your motion, making your stroke more consistent and rhythmic. Some models can also counterbalance the putter (another trend) through the use of customizable weights. Tempted? Start with the buffet-sized handles below—then feast on the greens. FLAT CAT SOLUTION $49.99 flatcatgolf.com You probably first saw the Flat Cat Solution in the hands of Justin Rose. Now it’s showing up in the mitts of golfers at all levels. The key to the Solution’s performance is a patented stainlesssteel weighted cone positioned just below where you place your hands…

Q: How long have you used your current putter? 18% Less than a year 38% 1-3 years 27% 4-10 years 17% More than 10 years At least 8 years. @CountDownDave How about less than 3 days? @MarkCalc Mark Calcavecchia Q: Do you have a pet name for your putter? Most days it’s “piece of garbage.” Once in a while it’s the best club in my bag. @DreadZombie8 My dad always says I should name it after myself. Because it always lets you down. @ajmcnair11 Ozzy, because he’s a rock star. @irishandy Sir Miss-a-Lot. @marioraez The “Manhattan Project” because I drop bombs on the green. @t_croom Mrs. Puttersworth. @kareemsdad eBay. Because when I miss too many that’s where they end up. Currently using eBay the fourth. @studiohuedesign Get Your Fix!Video tips…

DRIVER 1) Callaway Rogue (10.5°), Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70X shaft, 280 yards; $499 FAIRWAY WOOD 2) Callaway Rogue Sub Zero (15°), Mitsubishi Tensei White TX 70 Shaft, 260 yards; $299 HYBRID 3) Callaway X Hot Pro (18°), Matrix Ozik Atlus Hybrid shaft, 245 yards; $n/a UTILITY IRON 4) Callaway Apex Utility (18°), Project X 7.0 steel shaft, 217 yards; $229 IRONS 5) Callaway Apex MB (5-PW), Project X 7.0 steel shafts, $1,299 for eight. 5-iron: 205 yards 6-iron: 190 yards 7-iron: 177 yards 8-iron: 164 yards 9-iron: 150 yards PW: 134 yards WEDGES 6) Callaway MD4; 52°, 117 yards; 56°, 103 yards; 60°, 90 yards. All with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts; $150 each. PUTTER 7) Odyssey Tank Cruiser V Line; $n/a BALL Callaway Chrome Soft X; $44.99/doz. “The…

You can watch video rulings featuring Rules Guy himself! Visit GOLF.com In the final match of a big local amateur tournament, my opponent, “Chad,” would mark his ball on the green and then roll it along the putting surface to his caddie, presumably for cleaning. I didn’t call him out on it until finally he rolled his ball in the direction of a long eagle putt. I protested to the Rules official, citing Rule 16-1d, which covers testing the putting surface. The official chose only to warn Chad. Naturally, Chad nestled the putt up for a gimme birdie, which won the hole, and I eventually lost 1 up. Afterward, the official said there wasn’t proof of intent, but I think Chad knew exactly what he was doing. What’s your ruling?…

NORMAN’S CONQUEST Ben Crenshaw told me that the toughest Open Championship course he ever played in the wind was Turnberry in 1986. “The setup was so hard, it was difficult just to hit a fairway,” said Gentle Ben, acknowledging the severe rough, narrow landing areas and brutal gusts. “For Greg Norman to shoot the scores he did”—74 in round one, then a 63 on his way to victory—“was astonishing.” WAVES OF FEAR I asked Gene Sauers, the 2016 U.S. Senior Open champ, to name the most difficult set of greens on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Sauers told me that Pebble Beach was right up there (“tricky because of the poa”) but Harbor Shores (in Michigan, home to the 2018 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship) was killer. “Every green has so…

Experienced ballstrikers have an amazing command of the clubface—an innate ability to keep it square relative to their swing path through the hitting zone. Slicers lack such control, typically rotating the face open relative to their path. I get it: It’s tough to know if the face is open (or closed) when your gaze is focused on the ground. Here’s an easy fix: Set up as normal. Move your eyes from the ball to the grip. Near the bottom, close to the shaft, you’ll find a marking, usually the club or grip manufacturer’s logo (the Callaway chevron in my case). When the mark faces straight up—as it does when you take your address position—it’s a sign that the face is square. The goal, then, is to make sure the logo…

1 NIX YOUR LIFT In an attempt to add yards, you overreach on your backswing, lifting your arms as high as they can go. Unfortunately, you lift your torso, too. Now you’re off plane. Try this instead. Set up as normal, but with your feet closer together and your left foot flared. Congrats! You have full range of motion. No more need to lift. 2 ROTATE INTERNALLY As you take the club back, think “squat” instead of “lift.” Try to twist into the crease created in your trousers near your front right pants pocket as you turn back, keeping your right foot firmly planted on the ground. It should feel like you’re rotating internally into your right hip, not upward. And, yes, it should feel like a squat. 3 FLEX…

Hitting an approach over water is a scary proposition. Sure, there’s the one-stroke penalty for dropping it in the drink, but there’s just something about lakes and ponds that gives players the shakes. The first step to ensure a safe landing is easy: Grab one more club than you need. You can’t risk coming up short. Then, ignore the hazard. If you’re obsessed with all the bad that can happen, you’ll likely bolt upright on your downswing and catch it thin. My advice? Shift your focus from the water to a spot behind the green. When you swing, keep your chest “on top” of the ball from start to finish. Not only will you carry the hazard, you just might end up close to the pin. Cover Shot You only…

When I asked my friend Burt if he could remember my first yip, he said, “I can remember the first time I saw you yip.” Golfers are often precise; precision is a cousin to perfection and there you are—snap!— in the heart of darkness that is any discussion of yipping. This next bit was earned through 16 years of suffering with this odd golfing disorder: the yips reveal an unhealthy love triangle with precision, perfection and expectation as its points. The yipper, like all lovers in pain, cares too much. Yes, the yips appear as a mechanical breakdown, the inability to make a smooth and repeating stroke on putts that a 10-year-old beginner could handle with playful ease. The yippy stroke feels like your bike’s front left brake pad is…

BETTINARDI BB1 $300 bettinardi.com Key Technologies Flymill milling replaces the traditional Bettinardi Honeycomb face for a smoother roll; proprietary blend of soft carbon steel for enhanced feel; new Stealth finish for matte look and added durability. Our Take The BB1 features a traditional plumber neck that’s placed slightly more toward the center of the putterhead for less toe hang and less rotation throughout the stroke. The BB1 is exceptionally solid, nicely balanced and extremely well made. Fitter Comments A great choice for those who like a traditional plumber-neck blade with incredible feel and a bit less toe hang than comparable models. Recommendation Targets a wide range of players, but it may be a better choice for those with a more consistent stroke. CLEVELAND HUNTINGTON BEACH 1 $100-$110 clevelandgolf.com Key Technologies…

No. 6 “Hogan’sAlley” 580 YARDS, PAR 5 THE CHALLENGE The only par 5 on Carnoustie’s front nine unfolds over flattish terrain and is defined by two bunkers in the middle of the fairway and an OB fence that runs along the hole’s left edge. Only 20 yards separates the first fairway bunker from the fence, but if you can find that slender alley, your angle into the green improves. A drainage ditch called Jockie’s Burn cuts into the fairway from the right side, 80 yards from the two-tier putting surface. An unusual east wind, more common in March and April, makes the hole reachable by most of the field. The prevailing wind is into your face, bringing all the hazards and angles into play. THE CRITICAL SHOT If into the…

VAN DE VELDE Master of Disaster You don’t have to be a fan of foreign films to know that the French have a flair for the dramatic. Nineteen years ago, in a scene that seemed part comedy, part tragedy, part farce, Jean Van de Velde came to the 18th hole on Sunday at Carnoustie with a three-stroke lead in the 1999 Open Championship, only to card an absurdist triple-bogey with shots that went everywhere but where he wanted them to. It was a singular performance. It was also far from the only entry on a list of agonizing and historic Open catastrophes. PERPETRATOR LEO DIEGEL YEAR 1933 VENUE St. Andrews It’s rarely a good sign when your name becomes a noun. In the case of Leo Diegel (rhymes with beagle),…

BUILDING ON innovations made in the previous SM6 model, most notably the Progressive Center of Gravity design that allows for more exacting performance for each wedge loft, the new Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges are designed to improve three key elements of short-game performance: versatility, spin rate, and distance and trajectory control (to say nothing about boosting fitting options). To improve shotmaking versatility, Titleist offers six different sole grinds in the SM7 family, including the F Grind (for full swings and square-face shots), S Grind (for square-face shots with added workability), M Grind (for those who open and shut the face on short shots), D Grind (player’s high-bounce option), K Grind (highest bounce sole for improved bunker play and max forgiveness), and L Grind (narrow sole for max versatility but least…

TOUGH CHIPS MADE EASY Most golfers choose to hit delicate chip shots around the green with just one club—usually their sand wedge—but depending on the lie and the situation, there are a number of different options that will get the job done. Here are three different ways to chip it close from short range, with all but one method employing your trusty sand wedge. 1. HYBRID CHIP When you’re several feet deep into the fringe, or in a mowed area with some slope to navigate, consider chipping with a hybrid or a fairway wood. Center the ball between your feet, choke down an inch or two on the handle, and hit down on the ball like you’re attempting a bump-and-run shot. It’s that easy. 2. TOED-IN PUTTER Sometimes chipping from…