Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i Golf Magazine

“IN YOUR LIFE HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT?” In my opinion, the best call ever—CBS announcer Verne Lundquist’s emotional reaction to Tiger Woods’ 10-second hole-out from beside the 16th green at Augusta National to secure green jacket no. 4 in 2005. Those iconic words are on my mind because I’m writing this letter on what was supposed to be Masters Monday, a staff favorite—writers and producers descending on the sleepy Georgia town from both GOLF HQ in N.Y.C. and around the country for a week’s worth of lovable toil. Not this year. Currently, like my colleagues (and you), I’m home, at the kitchen table—my desk now for more than a month. No Tour. Clubs in their designated corner in the garage, untouched in 2020. My nurse wife, Caroline, in…

When we began soliciting entries for the inaugural GOLF + Nicklaus Design Challenge earlier this year, we weren’t sure what to expect. Pencil sketches on cocktail napkins? Golden Tee screen grabs? What we received—both in our inbox and mailbox—was a flood of thoughtful, imaginative and expertly designed par 4s. In all, we fielded nearly 200 entries, ranging from tantalizing to just plain tough. The pros at Nicklaus Design worked with a handful of GOLF editors to narrow the field down to 10 finalists, and now we need your help in deciding the winner. Head to GOLF.com/pickyourpar4 to select your fave. The winning design, which will be announced on or before May 15, will inspire an actual hole on an upcoming Nicklaus Design course. Our thanks to all of you who…

Cibolo Moon’s Maple-Pecan Butter >Butter-1 stick, unsalted at room temperature >Maple syrup-2 tbsp >Unsalted pecan halves-½ oz, toasted and finely chopped Mash together the butter and maple syrup in a medium bowl until well combined and smooth. Fold in the chopped pecans until evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until serving. WHILE FOOD HISTORIANS may not all agree, the captivating combination of fried chicken and waffles quite likely originated at Wells Supper Club in 1930s Harlem. Legend has it jazz musicians rolling in after work during the wee hours craved something that offered part dinner, part breakfast. A comfort classic was born. Over the decades, the dish has taken on a life of its own (as anyone who has been to Roscoe’s House of…

PRACTICING WITH feedback isn’t a luxury—it’s a must! Here’s how to work it into your full-swing practice. Your reward? A better understanding of clubface control and how it affects your ball flight. First, place a length of rope or an alignment stick a few feet in front of the ball on your target line. Now swing. Any shot that starts to the right of the line (indicated by the row of balls I’ve placed to the right of the rope) tells you that the face is open at impact (or closed if the shot starts left of the rope). Without the rope, it’s difficult to truly ascertain the ball’s initial direction—and, thus, your control of the clubface. It’s simple, but the lesson has deep implications for your game. Lessons SEE…

THERE ARE TWO incredibly frustrating things involved with using a rangefinder to get yardages on the course: 1) Accidentally locking in on a tree behind the green instead of the flagstick, and 2) misplacing the device or losing it altogether. Bushnell’s new Tour V5 ($299) and Tour V5 Shift ($399) rangefinders are designed to solve both of those issues. The Tour V5 rangefinders have new PinSeeker with Visual Jolt technology, featuring a red ring that flashes while the Jolt technology vibrates in your hand when you’re locked on to the flagstick. They also have new 6x magnification, the performance range is now five to 1,300 yards (400-plus yards to a flag) and the optics are two times brighter than the previous generation. Additionally, the new Tour V5 devices are built…

“BADASS.” THAT’S HOW JUSTIN ROSE described Honma’s TR20 drivers, which are designed for Tour-level players and those in the zero-to-12 handicap range. Offered in 440cc and 460cc profiles, the TR20 ($650) is built for both speed and adjustability. Honma designers added vertical grooves behind the titanium face to thin out the structure and make it noticeably faster. The face design is paired with a lightweight titanium frame—highlighted by an ET40 ribbed crown and carbon composite sole—that netted an impressive amount of discretionary weight. The savings was then used to add three adjustable weight ports in the sole to dial in spin, shot shape and swing-weight. Each Takumi-shaped profile offers an adjustable hosel for independent loft, lie and face-angle adjustments, and comes standard with the company’s premium Vizard shaft. What’s Under…

1. Fix the Grip Like many recreational golfers I teach, Tony’s trail hand was too much on top and rotated to the left, which encouraged him to open the clubface excessively in the backswing. One of the first things we did was rotate his trail hand more under and to the right of the club. 2. Align the Forearms Partly as a result of his old trail-hand grip, Tony’s right forearm sat way above his left forearm, which aimed his arms and shoulders well to the left. This promoted a pronounced out-to-in swing path. With his new trail-hand grip, his forearms are aligned, which also helps neutralize his swing path. 3. Slow Your Roll With his old trail-hand grip and high right forearm, Tony rotated his wrists too aggressively to…

HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE WINNERS. But sometimes runners-up have the more interesting say. Twenty years ago, at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Tiger Woods claimed his third of four consecutive majors in a run that became known as the Tiger Slam. Yet the story that gave full shape to Woods’ Wanamaker Trophy win was the inspired play of the guy who finished second. Expected to fall meekly to golf’s alpha at the top of his game (as so many had before), Bob May took Woods to the limit, firing a 66 to Tiger’s 67 to force a three-hole playoff that was settled in the twilight by a single shot. In golf fan memory, May and Woods will be forever linked by that duel. But the ties…

LOOK FOR THE DOTS: Each tip throughout this section features a corresponding color code to help you understand which part of your game it will improve the most. Shaky putter Slicer Low handicapper Short-game sufferer Short hitter Swing student High handicapper…

I tell people to go ahead and putt with a line drawn on their ball, but I find it helps very few of them. The theory is great: A line on your putter and a line on your ball will help you see the line of your putt more clearly. However, because of the parallax effect and stereopsis of each person’s eyes, very few can see a straight line on the ground with their head tilted. In fact, less than 15 percent of the people I have tested over my 20 years of putting research can achieve this. In addition, my research shows there’s no correlation between better aim and better putting results, anyway. So for most of you out there, lining up the ball only slows down play and…

GOLF (WITH A CAPITAL G) has now been postponed indefinitely with every professional tournament right-fully getting shut down amidst a global pandemic. But golf—the charming, timeless, mind-body challenge that bewitches and bedevils us all—has never been more vital. This was driven home for me on the March evening that the Players Championship was canceled, when Michael Bamberger and I took refuge at Oceanside Country Club, down the coast from TPC Sawgrass. We both arrived battered by the relentless assault of bad news and reeling from the implications for our loved ones and society as a whole. There was an unsteadiness, too, from suddenly being unmoored from all that we know. We’re both golf lifers, the Tour calendar defining our existence. Grandma wants to come visit the kids? Gotta squeeze it…

1 SINGLE-LEG TOUCHES ACROSS MIDLINE TO POST Place two dumb-bells upright in front of you, about 24 inches apart. Rise up into a knee-high running position and hold (A). Now lean forward and reach across your midline to touch the opposite dumbbell (B). Return to start and perform that move 12 times. Switch sides and repeat. The more stable your foot stays during this exercise, the more ankle mobility you’ll create, which will allow you to transfer energy better, with fewer power leaks. TOUR PROS ARE PRETTY amazing creatures, right? They can consistently hole knee-knockers with millions on the line. They can ignore countless shouts of “Mashed potatoes!” They always remember to thank the volunteers. Maybe most impressive of all is their balance. These are some very stable geniuses. If…

Beer-cart interruptions Movement and noise in our downswing? No sweat. Beer me! Stand bags When it’s LYO (lug your own), that mondo Tour staff model ain’t so appealing. Unhealthy snacks The pro’s body is a temple, while we think of salt as a food group. Signing autographs If only someone would ask for our John Hancock after a 93. Watching golf on a weekend Alas, for the pros, it means a week without a paycheck. Talking about Tiger Woods Joe Blow finds it endlessly fascinating; Joe Pro finds it endless.…

I HEAR SOMEONE SAY “SAN FRANCISCO,” the would-be host of the 2020 PGA Championship, and I immediately think of the city’s most revered public servant, “Dirty” Harry Callahan, and the ease with which he pulled off my unattainable fantasy of chewing (and chewing!) a bite of hot dog and walking at the same time. That he also stopped a burglary and accurately fired the most powerful handgun in the world while doing so was just showing off. As that thought fades, my mind drifts to having a mai tai with Eddie Lowery, which won’t be easy as he’s buried in Pacific Grove, down the road a piece from Pebble. As an old looper, I’m a sucker for boy-caddie-becomes-successful-grown-up stories, and Lowery was the little kid who caddied for Francis “Haven’t”…

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED USED TO publish an insert called Golf Plus for home subscribers, as long as you were a known golfer. After getting it for years, my mother answered a series of questions on a renewal card with her customary honesty. How many rounds of golf do you play annually? Zero. How much do you spend annually on golf equipment? Nothing. How often do you travel to golf resorts? Never. No more Golf Plus for you, lady! Mom called the 800 number. My son writes for your golf section—would that qualify me for it? Once, while having an Arnold Palmer with Arnold Palmer, I said, “My mother was making these in the ’70s.” She mixed iced tea with pink lemonade. Orange juice, too. “Really,” Arnold said. We talked about percentages.…

RORY MCILROY HAS RARELY STRUGGLED with the putter over the past year, but he opted to shake things up recently to see if a different length could help clean up a few issues with his stroke. Golfers rarely consider length when the putter hits the skids, but it’s a key piece of the equation when it comes to producing a consistent, repeatable stroke. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to follow Rory’s lead. 1. Small change, big difference. McIlroy found that going to a longer length (35 inches) helped get his shoulders and right elbow in a better position during the stroke. Sometimes all it takes is altering the length (not the head) to get it right. Give it a try if you’re struggling.…

Tony Finau peers across the range to a group of golfers at the other end, some 320 yards away. In other words, a safe distance—for most golfers. “We’re downwind,” he says. “So I can really only hit, like, 6-iron.” It’s our photo shoot, but he’s in charge. He picked the time (9 a.m.), the place (Silverleaf, in Scottsdale), the outfit (the one you see on the cover of this magazine). He looks decidedly comfortable in this atmosphere; answering rapid-fire questions while having his picture taken. The first impression you get from Finau on a golf course is that of power. But the second feeling—that comfort—is more enduring. It’s infectious, too. Finau’s here to have fun. To talk smack. Gary Woodland’s name comes up, and his recent claim during a taping of…

ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE PLAYERS, in a distant corner of TPC Sawgrass, the ritual departure of the Tour trucks begins. It is an awesome exodus of heavy metal, as one by one these big rigs rumble to life, inch out of a dirt lot and head for the open road. Piloting the 62-foot, 35-ton Callaway Golf tractor-trailer is Kevin Napier, who only a couple hours earlier was tweaking a 3-wood for young hotshot Maverick McNealy in his role as a senior trailer technician. “You can teach a club fitter to drive a truck but I don’t think you can teach a truck driver to build golf clubs,” Napier, 39, says of his unusual skill set. Every Tour truck is driven by a similar dual threat. Four years ago Napier…

SEAN WEBB AND Mike Granato are the coaching brains behind Athletic Motion Golf (athleticmotiongolf.com), and their mission is simple: Identify the athletic principles PGA Tour players use to help make golf more enjoyable for the rest of us. Using state-of-the-art GEARS technology, the pair reveals some common problems that rob recreational golfers of power, consistency and enjoyment. 1. “Sitting” at Setup For years popular instruction has espoused adopting a posture with a “sitting-on-a-barstool” look. That posture, however, places a lot of mass behind your heels. It’s very difficult to move athletically from such a position, because the tendency is to compensate by rocking toward your toes during the backswing as you search for balance. Adopt the setup at far right. Address the ball with your hips over your ankles, which…

DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH CONSISTENCY from shot to shot? Maybe you’re the type of player who, despite making a swing that feels the same over and over, sometimes produces a wild variety of shot patterns? Or maybe you go through spells of a few great shots in a row followed by some really bad ones—again, all with what feels like the same golf swing. If this sounds like you, the problem might be related to your pivot. All great players, especially the ones known for being consistent ball strikers, make a strong coil as they move toward the top of their swing. They do this by pivoting their right side behind them and less to the side, thereby reducing any excess turn away from the ball. The more you turn…

THE PERFECT GOLF SWING begins with your setup, but most golfers suffer from some kind of imbalance at address. This can lead to your shoulders and pelvis tilting too far to one side or an uneven weight distribution. That’s where the Balance Optimization Move (BOM) comes in. It is the product of Top 100 Teacher Dr. David Wright’s life work and is extremely simple. With a club in hand, take your usual stance. Take a deep breath and pinch your shoulders toward your sternum so they’re rolled forward (illustration, below left). Next, release the breath and relax your traps, allowing your shoulders to move back to their normal position. Doing this creates a closed kinetic chain. Although simple, the BOM has a myriad of benefits. “It does everything from increasing…

AT BAY HILL THIS YEAR, Rory McIlroy mentioned that he would consider putting out of the bunker behind the 18th green. If it’s good enough for the No. 1 player in the world, it should be enough for you—right? Yet golfers around the world regularly underutilize the simplest club in the bag. McIlroy’s shot was relatively unique, but he raised a common dilemma: From off the green, do you chip or putt? It’s highly personal, but here are four rules to stand by. 1. A bad putt is generally better than a bad chip. This is an age-old golf saying that has the benefit of being true. Pulling out a lofted wedge introduces the chance for a chunk, skull or shank. The flatstick will keep you disaster-free, which is the…

IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE clubhead speed, it’s essential that you extend your lead arm during the backswing. This helps max out width and puts your swing on a bigger arc. A wider swing means more room to ramp up your club head speed through the impact zone. But that’s not all it takes if you want to start hitting bombs. You also need to extend your trail arm on the down swing. I’ve got a great, free-flowing drill to help you do just that. Turn your driver upside down and grab it with your trail hand in your normal posture. Make a full and free takeaway, turning as far as possible without compromising your posture. It’s all right if the shaft goes well past parallel, and no doubt you’ll…

Q: Does it make sense to approach a high-pressure round as if it were just any other day? —K. RIGGS, LAS VEGAS, NEV. A: There’s no need to pretend one round is more or less important than another, but it’s crucial to understand what makes it different. Whether it’s Sunday at the Masters or a casual solo round, your objective should never change. To play your best, you must create enough freedom to access the skills you’ve worked so hard to develop. The only thing that changes when you play different rounds for different stakes is simply the stories you tell yourself! For example, “I better play well because college coaches are watching” or “I have a lot of money on the line.” The stories themselves represent a focus on the future,…

In a partnership with Srixon/Cleveland to distribute shoes in North America, Asics now has plans to conquer 18 holes. Asics has never had trouble with 26.2 miles. Now, in a partnership with Srixon/Cleveland Golf to distribute shoes in North America, Asics has plans to conquer 18 holes as well. The iconic running brand’s technology is evident in the two new pairs available—the seven-spike Gel-Course Duo BOA and the spikeless Gel-Course Glide. Each pair features Asics Gel in the heel for shock absorption, FlyteFoam along the base for weight reduction and ample ankle padding. In addition, the Gel-Course Duo BOA is waterproof and offers fit customization through its BOA Lacing System, a dial on the side of the shoe that can tighten or loosen the laces. As usual, Asics is going…

154 Donors to the GoFundMe campaign started by Larry David to benefit Riviera C.C. caddies, so far raising $130,995 through March. $2 million donated by Augusta National toward coronavirus relief efforts in the Augusta area. 1,667 Makeshift surgical masks produced per day at the Seamus Golf factory in Beaverton, Ore., to benefit area healthcare workers. $20,000 Donated by Billy Horschel from his $52,000 cut of the purse at the Players Championship to Feeding Northeast Florida, a Jacksonville-based food bank. 200,000 Fans from the Players Championship whose meals were donated by the PGA Tour to Feeding Northeast Florida with the Horschels’ help. 294,230 Dollars raised through auction as of April 1 for the Pinehurst Employee Relief Fund.…

$400 A USGA rule change in 2019 allows golfers to leave this in the cup while putting. $800 Created in 1935, this surprisingly simple device is used to measure the speed of putting surfaces. $1,200 This old-school means of reading putts is still used by some new-schoolers, like Rickie Fowler. $1,600 On occasion, Jordan Spieth has employed this unsightly technique on short putts. $2,000 At the Masters in 2016, Ernie Els took this many strokes to sink a putt from less than two feet. Final Jeopardy! In 2014, Taylor-Made sponsored an amateur tourney that used a cup of this size. Answers: What is… the flag stick; the Stimp meter; plumb bobbing; “no-look”; six; 15 inches.…

FLASKS HAVE BEEN AROUND since the Stone Age (literally), but it wasn’t until fairly recently in the history of humankind that they became practical vessels for holding concealed libations. It was the 1920s, during the peak of Prohibition, when men and women tucked flasks into their pockets, handbags and briefcases to smuggle booze and sneak a drink here and there. They’re especially handy for the golfer on the go—perfect for a quick nip to chill first-tee jitters or to ease the pain of a six-hour round. And no, they aren’t just for booze. But then again, why would you use one for anything else? Among our favorite models are custom-made flasks from popular beltmaker Doc Murphy (front; $50; docmurphyusa.com), which mixes fabric patterns with leather accents and choose-your-own artwork. Next…

Tony Finau is a big hitter whose stock drive is the coveted power fade. When he misses, however, it’s a ball that starts right and goes right, which costs him accuracy. To combat the right miss and ensure that the ball starts on line or just left of it, Finau has made a couple of tweaks to his driver (and to his swing—see p. 68). Firstly, his PING G410 Plus 9-degree driver has the adjustable sole weight set in the draw position. This allows the face to release quicker into impact, helping him avoid the pitfalls of an open clubface. Also, an Accra TZ6 Proto driver shaft (45.25 inches) has a softer tip than he’s used in years past. The softened tip section allows for additional clubhead closure, keeping the…

Variety within golf apparel is broader and more exciting than ever. Now, bringing your natural sense of style to the course is as easy as grabbing your sticks. Your Look Is Biz Casual: High-tech materials have turned trad staples into athletic wear. The high-stretch blazer at left is baller on the links and in the boardroom. You’re Into Professional Chic: Smart lines, feminine details and trendy fabrics make this look transition seamlessly between work, golf and post-round drinks. READ MORE about these products—and buy them!—at golf.com. You’re a Fitness Fanatic: Ultimate comfort is your priority, and you want to feel like an athlete while teeing it up. Luckily, high-performance textiles and sporty golf silhouettes are cooler than ever. You’re the Retro King: What’s old can look new, and an increasing number of brands…

The holy grail of equipment documents is housed inside an unmarked building on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas. You wouldn’t know it from glancing at the pile of black binders balanced haphazardly atop a dusty filing cabinet. Countless more can be found inside the drawers, one nondescript black binder tucked against another. But, the burly Texan in charge tells you, these binders are different. And then you catch a glimpse of a discolored label on one binder’s spine: “Tiger Woods Wedges and Putters.” Oh. Open the top cover—gently now—and you’re greeted by a multitude of club build sheets with handwritten notes dating back to Woods’ Nike Golf days. The glory days. An era of six major championships, each won with Swoosh irons and wedges in hand. The notes are…

THE TRICK TO GOING LOW is to improve your course management skills and work the ball into advantageous positions so that your next shot is easier than the last. The GolfLogix app, with its 3D mapping data on 35,000-plus courses, helps you do just that—in seconds flat. During play it can assist in shot selection, help you gauge precise distances to hazards and pins, track your scores and stats, show the correct line for every putt and even suggest clubs based on past performance. It’s like having a seasoned looper in your pocket (and one who isn’t looking for a tip!). For some players, however, this glut of tech—to say nothing of having to carry your phone in your pocket during play—is a burden. No problem. GolfLogix has recently introduced…

IF YOU WANT TO BECOME a better putter in a hurry, it’s imperative to develop a stroke that’s both easily repeatable and free of unnecessary body twisting and rolling from side to side. The best (and fastest) way to do that is to drive your putting stroke not with your arms and hands, but with your shoulders moving up and down as you swing the putter back and through on the correct path. One way to develop a shoulder driven putting stroke is to practice this simple drill that helps you align the putter perpendicular to the movement of your shoulders. Although I’m calling this a drill, it’s something you can do before every putt. Start with the putter out in front of your abdomen and parallel to the ground, forming…

A golf bag is a necessity, not a luxury. But most do the bare minimum—they hold your clubs, your accessories and not much else. A new bag company, MNML, is here to change that. MNML bags are the brain child of Sam Goulden, a golf instructor with more than 20 years of teaching experience. The models provide everything any self-respecting golfer could want—and then some. They’re fully technology integrated, complete with a Bluetooth speaker and phone charger—check this!—powered by a solar panel that sits below the handle. One of the pockets is thermal-lined (that’s where you keep your beers cold), and, perhaps best of all, they feature a smartphone filming pocket, so you can easily set up to record your swing from anywhere without a fuss. The bag started as a…

IT’S NO SECRET THAT the best putters in the world keep their lower bodies as still as possible, employing a rocking motion of some sort with the arms and shoulders. Here’s a quick drill you can do anywhere to check if you’re keeping your lower body still. Take a belt and wrap it around your legs just above knee level. There’s no need to go overly tight here—just secure it enough so it doesn’t slide down. Next, take a necklace with a weighty pendant and hang it from the center of the belt. With the belt, necklace and weight, you’ve created a pendulum. As you make your putting stroke, the pendulum should stay stable. If your legs sway, slide or if you turn your lower body—even just a tiny bit—the…

THE DIRECTION THE CLUBFACE IS pointing at impact primarily determines the ball’s launch direction. The good news is that most golfers, at address, aim the face within a few degrees of the direction they want to launch the ball. The bad news is that these same players, as soon as they start back, begin to misalign the club, mostly by opening the face. My studies show that by the time you reach parallel to the ground in your downswing, you need 70 to 100 degrees of closure to get the face back to square—and about 0.4 seconds in which to do it. Obviously, it’d be beneficial to be on the low end of this spectrum. Regardless, it’s a phenomenon that you need to think about, otherwise you risk a heavy…

G: You have to be on air for The Today Show at 7 a.m., so I’m guessing not a lot of morning tee times for you. CD: No. But morning tee times my whole life have prepared me to get up early for The Today Show. G: Touché. And getting up early to caddie as a kid, too. CD: Yeah. The weather was so nice growing up in Santa Monica that I’d get up at five and sit in the caddie shack at Riviera. If I got an early loop, then I’d be done by noon and I had my whole day. I don’t mind getting up, being productive and trying to monetize the time that you lazy people waste on your beauty sleep. G: In the ’80s, how much…