Tag: Golf Galaxy

A Sharkless 2016 and What To Expect on Television

January 19, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Lost amid the NFL divisional playoffs and a fairly exciting final round at the Sony Open in Hawaii was Fox Sports announcing that Greg Norman was being let go as part of their announcing team.

Insert witty caption for Greg Norman no longer working for Fox.

Insert witty caption for Greg Norman no longer working for Fox.

Credit to Links Magazine for breaking the story via Twitter; Golf.com, Golf Digest and Golfweek quickly followed confirming the story.

I’ve been critical of Fox from the word go, and their 2015 US Open coverage was terrible (the other events they covered were equally poor- their effort with the US Women’s Open was laughably poor).  As I’ve pointed out repeatedly, golf is different from the other sports to cover, and no sport would hire a complete outsider with no prior experience and think that they’d do well the first time out (which unfortunately was this country’s national championship), but that speaks mostly to the incompetence and hubris on display at the USGA (who I argued needs to be eliminated entirely).

What's a golf?

What’s a golf?

While Fox is making cuts, I’d offer that letting Joe Buck do baseball full time over the summer would be a good idea as well.  He seemed completely out of place hosting their golf coverage and seemed to lack what better hosts do- know how to rely on their analysts.  Don’t defend the USGA blindly.  Acknowledge what they got right, be critical of what they didn’t, and provide facts and analysis to support this.  Buck still doesn’t know how to use his analysts, and has a bad habit of not knowing when to talk and when to let the action speak for itself (I have no idea what he’s like as a person- this isn’t a personal attack on him – I just wish he’d be better in the main role); as I’ve said repeatedly, it was bound to be a failure…and it was.

If I were rebuilding the Fox team, I’d find another host, or use the Golf Channel/NBC team and production (Steve Sands- who’s actually good at this can host if NBC won’t let Dan Hicks host for Fox).  Jamie Diaz of Golf Digest has 5 candidates to replace Norman.  Read his piece, but I’ll say this: Azinger makes sense, the other four are not going to happen (Chamblee is under contract with Golf Channel/NBC, Woods would be worse than his press conferences (I don’t see him as being someone who’d be quick to be critical of a player- even where appropriate), Nicklaus (who I love) is not suited for that role, and Irwin has never done TV).

If Fox could land Tirico (who’s a decent host/anchor) you could go with someone new in the analyst role, but whoever you pick needs to be able to be critical and be able to actually tell the viewer what they don’t know.  I’d shake the trees on Lee Trevino.  Trevino might have gone to seed, but he has a sense of humor (good) and I do think the fact that he’s won the damn thing (a US Open) important.

Tirico and Brad Faxon (the best of a decidedly not very good cadre of talking heads) would be interesting.

A Tirico/Azinger pairing would be “getting the band back together” and it’s not a bad idea, but Fox has to pare down the bodies.  Having 4 people in a booth at a major is too many. It doesn’t work.

I wouldn’t mind giving Faxon and Azinger a run but with a more experienced hand at the tiller (I mention Tirico because he’s the only ESPN person you see or hear from during their early-round Masters coverage, which otherwise is handled entirely by CBS personnel).  So my host preference would be 1) Steve Sands 2) Mike Tirico 3) Someone else not named Joe Buck.

As I said before, they have to be unafraid, where appropriate, to be critical of the USGA.  It’s not being petty and spiteful, but if players are complaining about the course, then it merits coverage.  Their on-course reporters could have and should have done some work showing specifics.  This is not that hard.

The other big change will be at the Open Championship, where thankfully ESPN will no longer be handling things.  NBC/Golf Channel will take over (this wasn’t supposed to take place until 2017, but for once ESPN did the right thing and walked away).  NBC has already started promoting their coverage (while watching my beloved Liverpool lose yesterday morning to Manchester United (who I detest with every fibre of my body) they had ads in-game promoting that they’d have the Open Championship in July).  Good for Golf Channel as they’ve proven they’ll treat the event accordingly (if early rounds are on Golf Channel then good for golf fans).  Having said that, I’d really like to see them go to a “Live at” remote studio for at least the US Women’s Open and the ANA Inspiration (the old Dinah Shore)) and bring in some of their big names.

ESPN has long kicked golf to the bin in terms of the coverage that it gives the sport on Sportscenter and other on-air platforms (Jason Sobel does a decent job heading up their online coverage).  It feels decidedly similar to how they kicked the NHL to the curb when the NHL went with NBC/OLN after the 2004-05 lockout (they ignore the PGA and LPGA Tours unless Tiger Woods does something, and they ignore the NHL the same way).  It’s unfortunate because Pierre Lebrun is a good writer, and Grantland casualty Sean McIdoe is a fellow Leafs fan and a damn fine writer (follow him on Twitter and buy his hilarious book).

Look- making fun of what a complete shit show ESPN has become is low-hanging fruit, but frankly it does call into question their overall lack of judgement.  They treat the NFL with kid-gloves rather than be critical of issues like domestic violence, CTE, and other issues that deserve critical coverage, and ignore golf, NASCAR (lost the rights to NBC/FOX so they can screw off), and the NHL (NBC/NBCSN have been somewhat critical of the NHL and should continue to do so).  My advice?  Stop watching their garbage (their various “have two guys yell at each other” shows are hot takery excrement).  You’ll be smarter.

Because of the Olympics the USPGA Championship moves to July, so by the time we get to August all four majors will be handed out, and three of them handed out over a six-week period in June and July. August will have the Olympic tournament in Rio, the FedEx Cup Playoffs start during their normal period, and the Tour Championship and Ryder Cup fall on consecutive weekends, because why not?

The other news is that David Feherty has moved from CBS to Golf Channel/NBC.  No word on what his role will look like.  As they say, stay tuned.  I’m surprised he wasn’t in use during the Hawaii swing on the PGA Tour, and I’ve not read anything indicating he’ll be on Golf Channel during this week’s event in Palm Springs.  I’d have to think he ends up being part of their Olympics team in Rio, but we shall see.

Not exactly golf weather in the DMV, but we’ll be there soon enough. I hope.

It’s been a rough week for musicians and actors, but I guess the one that hit home the hardest was David Bowie. He made it okay to be different.  Without him, you don’t get the New York Dolls, and (for better or worse) you don’t get KISS (they should send him residuals), and you probably don’t get the punk and post-punk music I still identify with.

Normally I hate remakes, but here’s a video of Bauhaus covering Ziggy Stardust.  Enjoy.

The 2016 Predictions You Didn’t Ask For

January 5, 2016 / / 0 Comments

As we say adieu to 2015 and hello to 2016, I thought I’d whip out my crystal ball and see what my magic crystal ball has in store for golf this coming year.

Only slightly more accurate than most.

Only slightly more accurate than most.

PGA Tour: With the season starting on Thursday of this coming week (in Hawaii so get ready for lots of pictures that will make you want to get on the first thing smoking to Hawaii), it’ll be interesting to see who gets off to a hot start and generates much of the early ink.  For the life of me, I’ll never understand why someone wouldn’t play in the Kapalua event (no cut, limited field, plenty of FedEx Cup points).

I know that everyone has a hot nut all over Jordan Spieth, but he’s coming off of a 12-month stretch where he was the dominant player in the world.  I see him struggling early on and don’t see him repeating at Augusta.  The schedule is brutal especially from June onward with three of the four majors being played from mid-June through the end of July.

I'm sure this will look fantastic with a green jacket.

I’m sure this will look fantastic with a green jacket.

What’s interesting (and worth keeping in mind) that the last PGA Tour event to make the top 60 for the Olympic tournament is the Greenbrier Classic (the cutoff date is July 11th), so players will go into the Open Championship the following week already knowing who is or isn’t qualified for the Olympics (and will also play the PGA Championship after the cutoff date for Olympic qualifying, which means that half the majors this year won’t count towards Olympic qualifying.

I’m also curious as to what the attitudes will be toward the Olympic tournament.  It’s a 72-hole stroke play event (same as the week-in, week-out tournaments on the PGA Tour).  Remember- this is a course that was built for the Olympics, so it’s really a case of nobody really knowing what to expect.

Predictions: I think we’ll see a dark horse/first timer win at Augusta; my crystal ball thinks one of Jason Day (has played well there), Patrick Reed or Ian Poulter will be the last man standing.  It would be great for golf to see Rory McIlroy win the Masters and complete the career grand slam, but I don’t see it happening this year.

Poulter is ready for the PGA Tour's "Disco Appreciation Day"

Poulter is ready for the PGA Tour’s “Disco Appreciation Day”

At the US Open, thankfully they go back to Oakmont.  Hopefully the USGA will manage to not f*** the course up that much (they don’t need to, and they should resist any attempts at trying to gin something up).  I don’t know why, but I have a wild hunch that this will be the year Phil Mickelson finally gets over at the US Open.  I like Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka to contend.  I’d scratch anyone who changed brands in the off season; historically that rarely ends well.

At the Open Championship, the last three times that the Open Championship has been held at Royal Troon (this year’s venue), it was all won by first-time Americans who had not won majors previously.  Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed are, for me, the guys this year (your previous winners at Troon were Todd Hamilton, Justin Leonard, and Mark Calcavecchia).  The last time a non-American won at Royal Troon.  Bobby Locke in 1950.

The PGA Championship is held in late July (two weeks after the Open Championship and the week after the Canadian Open) at Baltusrol in New Jersey.  The last time it was held there (2005) Phil Mickelson won.  I think this will be the major that Spieth wins this year, which will put him an Open Championship shy of the career grand slam.

Ryder Cup: When last heard from, the Europeans won (again) and the US team spent several months trying to figure out what the hell happened (Europe played better).  So this time we go to Hazeltine National in Minnesota.  Seriously?  This is the best we can do?  Is it beyond the PGA of America to play the event on the West Coast or somewhere in the Rockies?  Your US captain is Davis Love III, the European captain is Darren Clarke.  Barring injuries, I think the Europeans will win yet again.

Locally:

I think at least one fairly well-known public course doesn’t survive 2016 barring a sea change in the economy.  It could be in Maryland or Virginia, but I really have a bad feeling (and I hope I’m wrong).

I think at least one private course either goes public or goes to some kind of a public-private relationship where they allow more non-member play.  I’d like to see the gong show that is Turf Valley open themselves up to public play during shoulder months or at least release tee times within 72-96 hours to the public.

To that, with private courses struggling to attract new members, they could do worse than start to try to attract new members by selling tee times inside 48-72 hours that would otherwise go empty.

Four Wishes for the local area:

1) With the PGA Tour’s annual stop moving around (it’s at Congressional this year and 2018…2017 is up in the air), I’d like to see the LPGA return to the DMV.  I’m not counting their event in Williamsburg; I’m talking something within an our of DC or Baltimore.  The LPGA Tour has done so many things right in the last few years that I’d like to see locals get to see what a fantastic tour they have.  Ideally, you’d shoehorn an area event before the tour stop in Atlantic City which would be an easy trek for the players to make.

2) I’d like to see public courses step up their game in terms of playing conditions (talking to you, Renditions and Timbers at Troy) and start to enforce pace of play and time par (pointing at you, Waverly Woods).  Yes- you might make a few golfers upset, but you’re going to make dozens more happy.

3) On a personal level Howard County needs an additional public course.  Ideally you’d look to Western Howard County where you have cheaper land than you would in the Columbia/Elkridge/Ellicott City area.  I’d also like to see a MCG-type situation in the county, where you’d bring several courses under one jurisdiction and one umbrella.  MCG isn’t perfect but there’s no doubt they’ve improved playing conditions at their courses.  Even if you went in with some kind of partnership with Baltimore County, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it meant better course conditions and improved pace of play.

4) To see Golfdom or some form of competition come into the Maryland suburbs and compete with the Golf Galaxy/Dick’s Sporting Goods duopoly.  I remember the old Washington Golf Centers and mourned the demise of Mammoth Golf.  It’s not that Golf Galaxy and Dick’s Sporting Goods are bad, it’s that I’d like to see competition and more options.

Two Wishes for me:

1) I know that the schedule makes it hard, but I’d like to see the PGA Tour do a better job of giving the Canadian Open a better spot on the schedule.  What they’re doing this year is particularly offensive.  The event always does great attendance, and their National Open deserves better.

2) To play more, and improve course reviews.  The first one is simple, the second part isn’t.  I want to have course reviews that you, as a reader, would find useful.  I’m not sure how this will look, but I’m looking at changing how I review courses to make it relevant to ordinary golfers and ask the kind of questions an average golfer might have.  I’ve long argued that Golfweek and Golf Magazine’s course reviewers aren’t bad at their job, but 99% of their course reviews are destination tracks, and some of their ratings sound a bit jaded.  When it’s your job it’s one thing, but when you’re paying out of pocket to play somewhere, you want to know you’re seeing something worth your dollars.  Nobody reimburses me for my green fees and my guess is if you’re reading this you’re in the same boat I am.

My sincerest wishes to all of you for your best year ever in 2016.  Hit ’em straight, and make lots of pars and birdies.

Song of the day:

Before they became huge, U2 did one of their first US tours in 1983 to support the War album.  They did a concert at Red Rocks Ampitheatre and filmed it.  Below is my favourite track of theirs.  Hard to believe this is 30+ years old.  Still sounds great.

Equipment Review- Odyssey Works Versa 2-Ball Fang

June 8, 2015 / / 0 Comments

I have never been graced with fantastic putting skills.  I can hit the ball fairly well and my chipping and wedge play is decent, but more often than not, my putting has torpedoed more rounds than I can count.

My latest band-aid has come from the good people at Odyssey Golf, with their new Odyssey Works Versa 2-Ball Fang that they rolled out at the start of the year (all photos are mine- sorry about the lighting).  The standard model comes with a standard grip, but the one I purchased came with the larger grip (shown below).  I have found that I tend to not get as wristy or as prone to pushes and pulls with the larger grip.

My new flat stick. The rug really ties the room together.

My new flat stick. The rug really ties the room together.

I’m not yet a putter hoarder- I have an original Ping Craz-E that someone christened “a spatula”, I have an old Ping A-Blade that was a gift from my late aunt (who introduced me to the game over 30 years ago), and I have a Scotty Cameron Newport Detour that I’ll throw in the bag (I like it enough but it’s a bit light for me- on fast greens…it’s great).

While we suffered through a long, cold, and snowy winter, I read up and researched putters.  Once the weather got nice, I headed over to Golf Galaxy (it’s literally the only option- they’re nice enough but don’t take that as an endorsement) to demo the three I found that I thought would help me: The Odyssey that I ended up buying, a Ping Scottsdale (the Carefree, which looks like the next generation of the Craz-E line), and a Scotty Cameron GoLo.

The Cameron putters are works of art and the price tag reflects this.  Unfortunately, I need more of an alignment aid than the Cameron offers.  If you’re someone who wants a blade putter and doesn’t mind dropping the coin, I cannot recommend them enough.

The Ping never felt good in my hands, and I never felt comfortable over the ball.  I kept finding that I was pulling putts, and for whatever reason it didn’t meet my eye test.  If you’re shopping for a new putter, take a look at their product- it wasn’t for me but they still make great equipment.

And I guess that’s my take-away.  Try different models.  Don’t go in locked into one model.

So back to the Odyssey.  The 2-ball putter has been around for close to a decade, and the simplicity of it really caught my eye.  It’s easy to line up (see photo below).

Odyssey Works Versa 2-Ball Fang (top of putter- looking down)

Odyssey Works Versa 2-Ball Fang (top of putter- looking down)

Standing over a putt, it’s super-easy to line up, and more than the Cameron, felt very smooth going back and at impact.  Off the face of the putter, the ball began rolling pretty quickly.  Below is the bottom of the putter.

Bottom of Putter

Bottom of Putter

I’ve used it now for five rounds and I’m definitely taking fewer putts.  More importantly, my first putt is ending up in tap-in range (or at a minimum within the Circle of Trust/Circle of Friendship that you’d like to be in), and I’m not seeing the misses because of pushes and pulls.

If you’re in the market for a new flat stick, do your homework online and don’t be afraid to try different models.  Ask questions, and hopefully make plenty of putts.

Unrelated, I watched (for 30 second) the self-indulgent crap-fest that was the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony.  They’ll never get in, and their chances of reuniting for a tour are probably nil.  But for a few years in the 1980’s, The Smiths were, in my opinion, unlike anything else.  The genius was always Johnny Marr’s rickenbacker guitar, and not the lead singer.  If you’re unfamiliar, listen and you’ll see what I mean.

Where SGIC Plays Santa for the Local Golf Scene

December 24, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Dozens demanded it, so on this day of celebrating Festivus, I dress up like Santa and hand out some gifts to the local golf scene.  I spent hours wait…a good ten minutes checking my list to see who’s naughty and nice.

SGIC as Santa doing research

SGIC as Santa doing research

To Falls Road GC, it’s a pace of play guide!   In fact, a whole box of them!  Give ’em to your marshals and anyone playing on weekends!  Need more?  Just ask Santa!

To Golfdom, it’s a lease option on a store in Maryland!  A chance to expand the empire into Maryland, and a chance for Maryland golfers to shop somewhere that isn’t a chain!

To Golf Galaxy you’re getting a chance to sell big and tall  sizes and wide width shoes!  If you want to stay relevant, try stocking wide width (since it seems like these go pretty quickly).  I’d love to actually try shoes on (and buy them) but when you don’t have my size in stock (and online isn’t much better) you’re practically begging people to go elsewhere.

To Hobbit’s Glen, Santa is giving you online tee times for all CA members!  Bask in the glory of not having the same group of people take every weekend morning tee time!  And for your pro shop staff, a big giant ball of friendliness!  The people on the other end of the line are trying to give you money.  They’re not bothering you.  They’re why you exist.

To Waverly Woods, Santa is going pull the giant stick out of your butt for you!  If you want to become a private club then by all means have at it.  Otherwise, embrace the masses, especially if they’re trying to give you money.

For Sligo Creek and Old Gunpowder, Santa got you each a 2-year lease to continue to operate.  Keep embracing and welcoming new golfers.

For Cross Creek, Santa is getting you an email spam filter because you’re sending Santa five emails a week.  Let’s improve conditions a bit and see how that helps (however, I completely feel for you in losing your signature hole to the ICC).

For Timbers at Troy, Santa is going to give you a do-over.  You can’t possibly be this poorly run and in that bad of shape two years running.  Santa wants you to do well, and so do a lot of local golfers.  So let’s pull it together.

For Redgate, Santa is getting you a chain saw to cut down all the damn trees on the 16th tee area so you can have actual grass in the tee boxes, and not hardpan dirt.  And while we’re at it a couple sticks of C4 to blow the entire damn hole up and start over.   And because Santa likes you a lot, he’s also getting you green grass tees for the range!

For Golfstyles Magazine Santa sends you good karma for your 2015 Solstice Survival series which benefits a very worthy charity and is a must-do for any local golfer who’s partially insane.  But $20 for a coffee table book of bad writing so I can get your magazine for free?  No thanks.

For the LPGA Tour Santa is begging you to bring an event to the DC/MD/VA area in 2015.  Please.

Lastly, a holiday wish from Santa’s buddy Denis Leary (NSFW lyrics)

Happy Holidays everyone.

The 2014 SGIC Awards

November 29, 2014 / / 0 Comments

After careful consideration and a long and deliberative process (at least 15 minutes and a couple double scotches), I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2014 Single Golfer In Cart Awards (SGIC) and general Airing of Grievances for Excellence in Whatever I Damn Well Deem Appropriate.  Since the Grill Room at Fairway Hills was busy (someone put brochures on the one table), I held the awards at the House of SGIC.  It was a black tshirt affair.  The awards are only for local area golf courses.  Below are the other members of the voting committee.

Molson and Kona. You guys rock.

Molson and Kona. You guys rock.

Behold, our award winners:

The Refusal To Die Award: Shared among Old Gunpowder and Sligo Creek Golf Courses.  These courses continue to exist despite their deaths the stuff of constant speculation.  Both courses offer new golfers and the thriftier set options to enjoy the game.

The First Thing We’ll Do is Kill Pace of Play Award: To Falls Road GC and any other course that throws dozens of groups on the back nine on weekend mornings, resulting in play grinding to a halt.  At one point there were 7 groups on 2 holes (at 9:15 a.m.).  And you wonder why rounds take 5 plus hours?

The  Why Are You Even Trying Pro Shop Award: Fairway Hills…where you can get a hot dog, a soda and a dozen Top-Flites in one stop.  All in a room the size of a prison cell.

The Excellence In Conditioning Award: Northwest Park.  While their green fees have gone up over the last couple years, you’re paying for top-notch fairways and greens.  Proof that people will pay for quality.

The Excellence in Customer Service Award: Northwest Park, who phoned me and left a voicemail after a heavy storm in May to explain that the back 9 was closed and we’d be playing the front nine and the “inside 9” during our round.

The I can Has Technology Award: To courses who refuse to let people know their aeration schedule.  This is not difficult.  It should be on your course’s website and anyone booking over the phone should be advised, and a sign in the pro shop should be visible.

The I can Has Technology Award Runner Up: Courses who can’t be bothered to tell people they’re open after a horrible winter.  See Timbers at Troy and pretty much anything in Howard County.

The Excellence in Lying Out Their Ass Citation: Columbia Association’s never-ending tv ads touting their two courses.  One’s a complete shit show in terms of conditioning that has their own “club” that gets all the early-morning weekend tee times (Hobbit’s Glen) and the other one has at least two holes I’d like to fire into the sun (Fairway Hills).

Best Retailer: Golf Galaxy (by default).  Mammoth Golf is but a memory, and Dick’s Sporting Goods (yes- same parent company) is a loud thunderdome populated by teenage jockbros.  I’ve had two club fitting experiences at Golf Galaxy and both were pretty good.  Plus, Dick’s got rid of all of their PGA Professionals so now you’re dealing with someone who might have been selling camping gear the day before.  If Golfdom (see below) opened a Maryland store and started carrying big and tall sizes this could change.

Worst Retailer: Pretty much everyone in the area, because there’s no retail golf stores that sell big and tall sizes.  I’d like to support a locally run golf retailer; other than Olney Golf Park (selection is very much meh) there’s not one that exists other than either your “green grass” retailers (at courses) or a big chain.  Yes- I’m aware of Golfdom in Virginia, but that’s an hour-plus drive for me.

Best Online Retailer: TGW.  They carry big and tall sizes, and their reviews are from verified purchases.  If they’d stop emailing me every goddamn day that would be nice, but in the main I can’t complain.

Worst Online Retailer: Too many to mention.

The Oblivious Award: To the two jackasses I played with at Laytonsville back in April who spent half their day on their cell phones or taking 3-4 practice swings on every shot.  Either pick up the pace and take on practice swing or take up tennis.   Hopefully my golf didn’t get in the way of you talking on the phone.

Best overall Experience Award:  Despite rain, my round at Whiskey Creek was, for the most part, what I was hoping for.  The course was in good shape, pace of play was good, and the staff was uniformly fantastic.  I enjoyed Worthington Manor as well, but I’d have to shade it to Whiskey Creek.

Worst overall Experience: Laytonsville.  It’s hard to believe that the same parent company that runs Northwest has this clunker, but it’s true.  The marshal giving me the gears over pace of play (and not my playing partners), conditions that were lousy at best, and a round that took way too long?  No thanks.

Places I’m in no rush to re-visit: Tied between Timbers at Troy (a complete shit show- I had one visit there to renew my handicap and it was a 45-minute ordeal) and Waverly Woods (the public track that thinks it’s a private course replete with the attitude).  Their collective policy towards single golfers is the equivalent of an extended middle finger.  I can be treatedly warmly by Worthington Manor and Whiskey Creek (and countless other tracks), and I will spend my dollars accordingly.  My experience at Waverly Woods from 3 years ago was not exactly welcoming.  A great layout and conditions are nice, but treating people like you’re doing them a favour in letting them play is not how you build a business.

Best new purchase: The Titleist AP1 irons I bought this past February have been a welcome addition in the bag.

Worst new purchase: The Titleist Golf Bag I bought.  I love everything about it except for one thing- THE STRAP IN IN THE BACK OF THE BAG WHICH MAKES CARRYING IT A NIGHTMARE.  A suggestion- put buckles in both sides so that the main strap can get moved.  Otherwise…it’s a great bag.

The Why is This a Thing Award: Courses that feel the need to have US Open level rough.  It kills pace of play when you’re spending forever looking for a lost ball. Cut the damn rough.

Holes that need to be blown up: Tie between Redgate #16 and Hampshire Greens #2.  Two holes that are set up to destroy pace of play.  Stop with the “signature hole” bullshit.  Redgate punishes a fantastic drive and encourages a layup to a brutal third shot.  Hampshire Greens #2 starts innocently enough but makes the second shot brutally hard with invisible hazards.  This doesn’t challenge the average player- it punishes them.  Even having red or yellow stakes that are visible would help you see where you can and can’t go.

Hard hole that does what it should: Falls Road #12.  Straight shot that favors the right side to an uphill green.  Anything left is dead.  I’ve never scored well on it, but it’s fairly simple and doesn’t try to trick the player.

In Memoriam (cue the sad music): Montgomery Village Country Club, my old Ping G2 irons, the Dick’s Sporting Goods PGA Professionals, the LPGA International Crown at Caves Valley (moved out for 2015 and probably won’t return to the area), and any professional Golf (PGA Tour, Web.com, LPGA) in Maryland in 2015.

 

The clubfitting experience

March 1, 2014 / / 0 Comments

I hate going shopping- to me, it’s a torturous exercise that I will avoid at all costs.  Be it clothes, household items, or much of anything, I’ve always taken a “go in and get done as quickly as possible” approach.

Shopping for retail items is equally loathsome.  I’ve no desire to have a relationship with a salesperson- while I respect that they have a job to do, hectoring me when I’ve indicated I’m in no need or desires of their attention is a great way to keep me from spending money.  The opposite I also find to be true- having to wait at a cash register, goods in hand, in wait for someone to take my money in exchange for said items.  I find online shopping to be a fairly reasonable option- by nature I enjoy doing research and being of reasonable intellect, I can work at my own pace before making a purchase.

However, in some instances, it’s required that one go to a store, and engage in the belly of the beast.  Buying new golf clubs is one of those instances.  Having done exhaustive research about my needs as a golfer (and unfortunately “scotch” won’t help here but not for trying), my game, my swing, and having read both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest’s issues on new clubs (porn for equipment nerds), I was off and running.

Golf Magazine continues to do a piecemeal approach that I hate, but if you need a new driver, their reviews on new drivers can be found here: http://www.golf.com/equipment/golf-magazine-clubtest-2014-drivers-best-golf-drivers-driver-reviews-golf-equipment

Golf Digest’s Hot List can be viewed here: http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/hot-list

Unfortunately my options for clubfitting were, at best, highly limited.  While Golf Galaxy has received several positive reviews from the likes of Golf Digest’s Stina Sternberg (and yes- if more golf stores would be more accessible to women it would surely be a good thing), their relationship (with Golf Galaxy having sent out a circular highlighting the Golf Digest “Gold” products I was a bit leery- I can be somewhat of a cynical, skeptical prick at the best of times) with the Hot List seemed odd, but off I went.

Being marginally old fashioned I thought I could call and make an appointment for a clubfitting.  I had done this with my previous set of irons with the now-defunct Mammoth Golf, and it worked out pretty well.  Unfortunately Golf Galaxy doesn’t take appointments; I was advised to “just show up” and they’d fit me in.  Being a hyper-organized type that’s more than a bit OCD, I wasn’t exactly fond of the idea of “just showing up” on a Saturday morning (because of work and other commitments my weekdays are all but shot) as it tends to put me into a cold sweat.

So off I went, hoping that I could find a suitable match and be done without wasting my entire Saturday inside a store.

I was greeted by a polite salesperson who asked a few basic questions and I explained what I was looking for and listed a couple models I was interested in trying.  He got me sorted out straightaway and had me hit some warm-up shots in one of their hitting bays while another gentleman was getting fitted for a driver.  After warming up and the launch monitor station emptying it was my turn.

Pretty early on I found the set I really liked, and it wasn’t the one I was expecting.  Having honed in, we then got down to the fitting.  I had my old specs from my previous set (one thing about Ping that I like is their irons are all colour-coded by measurements, so telling him that I was a “green dot” helped him dial in the set).

After hitting 30 shots on the launch monitor (I only know this because it kept count)- I hit about a dozen or so off of a board to determine if I was flat or upright- I found a fit that I liked.  Oddly enough, the stock lie/upright was what I needed, which I wasn’t expecting.  Even better, they had them in stock which meant I’d save a return trip!

One area that he was very helpful was in explaining what a graphite shaft does for you as opposed to a steel shaft (steel is cheaper, but graphite can help you gain distance but can be harder to control in terms of distance/accuracy).  He ended up steering me toward the cheaper steel shafts.

Overall, it was a positive experience but if I can impart any wisdom to anyone reading this who’s drooling over the idea of new sticks and wants to get a club fitting, it would be the following (note-I don’t work at or have a stake in any golf shop, so I don’t have a skin in the game):

1) Do your research before you go.  Read reviews (TGW.com has reader reviews that require you to have bought the item through them).

2) Do an honest assessment of your game.  What is your current handicap index, or what is your average score for 18 holes?  What do you currently have in your bag, and what would a new set ideally hope to accomplish?

3) Be honest about your budget.  No sense going into a store with a $500 budget and looking to buy a $1000 set.  Note the MSRP when you’re doing research.

4) Be honest about the makeup of your set.  The 3-iron has become a dinosaur and many of the so-called “super game improvement” sets are ditching the 4-iron as well. Do you want hybrids to replace 4 and 5 irons?  Think about shafts- your swing speed may not lend itself to a stiff shaft.  Ask about graphite, and consider the answer.  It’s not for me or anyone else to tell you what you should or shouldn’t play with.  Ultimately, it’s your call.

5) Wear shoes that you can hit shots with.  You “may” want to wear sneakers/trainers or at least a shot with some kind of tread.  Or you “may” want to bring your golf shoes with you.

6) Give yourself plenty of time.  Golf clubs aren’t cheap.  Rushing through the process could mean you end up with clubs that don’t fit.  If you go on a weekend give yourself more time as the store may be busy.

7) Ask to warm up before you do your fitting.

8) This is a club fitting, it is NOT a lesson.  Swing your regular swing.  Changing your swing during the fitting process will leave you with clubs that don’t fit.

9) Expect to pay a small fee for a club fitting (many stores will refund some or all of the cost if you buy a set of clubs).

10) If you’re confused about something, speak up and say something!  If something feels odd, say something.  I spoke to three different folks (off the record)- they all said that they want people to love their purchase (you hating it after the fact means you’re less likely to return).  It’s good for them, their store, and you.

Best of luck, and happy shopping.

Small Business Saturday in the HoCo

December 7, 2013 / / 0 Comments

This past Saturday November 30th was “Small Business Saturday” which encourages folks to shop at local stores. It’s a great idea after the orgy of stupidity and mayhem that often accompanies the so-called “Black” Friday after Thanksgiving. Since golf stuffs are always in good taste and honestly- why not buy for yourself (my arguement is that I know I’ll like it, and I’ll be happy to have it…and other than maybe a bottle of good scotch there’s not much else I’d want)?

So armed with money and my sanity, I set out to find out how I could do that.

The trouble started when I did some online searching- Howard County is a lot of things, but clearly, we’re not larded up with golf retailers. And by “not larded up” I mean “none exist”…which is okay, I thought- I can go to courses and they’ll have stuff- surely they’ll want to get in on the fun, right?

Not so much. The Columbia Association courses were shuttered. Empty parking lots and dark pro shops mean no revenue (and if we’re being honest, the pro shops at Hobbit’s Glen and Fairway Hills are, at best, poorly stocked afterthoughts). Calls to Waverly Woods and Timbers at Troy found no success either. Yes- we had a horrible cold snap and we had heavy rain in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and I’m sure that this impacted things. Nonetheless, it’s frustrating when, as a consumer, you have money to spend and a desire to spend it, and you have zero luck trying to support a local business.

Having lived here, I supported the now-defunct Mammoth Golf from its infancy to its death (I was deeply saddened to see it close up) and still try, whenever possible, to support local businesses. With that being said, as a golf consumer, I had two options in Howard County- go to the dueling big-box retailers on Rt. 175 (that would be Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy). Of the two I’ve always preferred Golf Galaxy even though they’re the same parent company- the people at Golf Galaxy are more in the know about golf.

Never mind that they don’t sell big and tall sized golf apparel (nor do they even offer it online- for golf apparel I have to shop online (I’ve had my best success buying shoes through TGW and buying apparel through Cutter and Buck’s online store)- even shoes (I have a wide foot and wear a wide width) has become an online-only episode (although at Golf Galaxy they did have a few wide sizes in a few models) as well.

I don’t want to be made to feel as though my only option for buying clothes and shoes is online. While it’s convenient, I like to try before I buy.

As much as it pains me to point this out, the Montgomery County courses had specials and did a much better job marketing Small Business Saturday (they sent out emails with specials and have indoor simulator packages).

Hopefully next year we’ll see a Small Business Saturday that golfers can participate in. I hope.

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