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Archive for August, 2008

Here’s what’s going on in the clubshop at Triangle Custom Clubs…
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Another Tragic Golf Cart Accident:

A Tenn man commits suicide after his wife dies in a golf cart accident.

In my opinion, it’s another tragic accident that will only happen more
frequently as people drive golf carts on the roads.

Read more about it here

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Man, Sergio just can’t get a break…

Vijay Singh took the Braclay’s from his good friend Sergio Garcia,
who lost another close match.

Singh also took something else from Sergio - the lead in the FedEx Cup,
not to mention the 1.2 million for his forth straight win at the Barclays.

Here is what I’d like to see - Sergio either win or get in the top 3 for
the rest of the playoff and win the FedEx - he would definitely be worthy…

Oh, and how about the PGA wildlife? First it’s a bear and now it’s a gopher

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A few days ago I posted an article about a specific golf rule on the
blog. It was all about what the rules say when you break your putter.

Well, as it turned out there was a few opportunites for that rule to
be invoked recently at the PGA Championship.

On the first hole that he played after the rain delay on Thursday, Woody
Austin broke is putter in frustration. So he played the remaining 3 holes
using his wedge.

Mike Wier broke his putter on Friday (he threw it at his golf bag)
and used his 18 degree hybrid on his last 5 holes - and he made the cut!
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Another PGA Championship facts…

…Kenny Perry withdrew after the first round with a scratched cornea
and as such he earned the record of having won the most money in a season
without winning any money in a major.

With over 4 million this year, he’s crying all the way to the bank…

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Share The Passion…for litigation?

The US Golf Teacher’s Federation is suing the PGA of America for
using their slogan “Share the Passion” in Public Service Announcements.

Geeez - don’t these guys have better things to do?

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Hey dude, where did my ball go?

11 year old Allan Saylor was playing golf for just his third time
when he stepped up to the 150 yard sixth hole at a course in North
Dakota…

…and aced it.

When the golf pro asked if he knew what he did he said “no, not really”

Not sure if you’ve heard about this yet, but here’s a story of a man who killed himself after his wife died in a golf cart accident.

Police in Anderson County Tennessee report that a man killed himself after his wife died in a golf cart accident Friday.

John C. Clark, 53, of Andersonville and his wife Kathryn C. Clark, 50, were traveling in a golf cart from their home on Stardust Lane to the marina where he worked. The cart overturned and killed Kathryn. According to the news reports, John attempted CPR on his wife before walking home and getting his handgun. He then told his son he was going to commit suicide, and then threatened to shoot anyone who came near him.

His son left the house and told deputies who were at the accident scene. They arrived to find John dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol., the wreck happened just after 12:30 a.m.   Clark was driving the 2006 Kawasaki golf cart west on the road when he lost control on a curve. The cart hit a tree, and the impact threw off Clark’s wife.

And here is the kicker - John and his wife had been drinking and didn’t wear seat belts (not that I’m sure the cart had seat belts in the first place. 

In my opinion, it’s another tragic accident that will only happen more frequently as people drive golf carts on the roads.

OK my great golf buddies, here’s another “What Do You Think” post for you to respond to.

This time, it’s more like “what do you play”?

The question is - do you think those $40 a dozen golf balls actually help your game?

I mean, do you try to play with expensive balls, medium cost balls, or just your everyday range ball like I use?

Tell us what balls you use, and why - do you think they are helping your game, or did you just get them on sale?

In case you’re wondering - there are the price ranges of some of the more popular balls on the course (cost per dozen):

 - Callaway HX Hot Bite - $30

 - Titleist DT Carry/Roll - $22

 - Top Flight Gamer - $20

 - TaylorMade Burner - $25

Hit ‘em straight (whatever ball you chose…)

Ben

Golf is all about giving yourself the absolute best opportunities to make shots onto the green. 
This is done by keeping the ball on the fairway, which means that accuracy should be one of the focal points of your game. You can increase your accuracy when playing golf by keeping in mind the following points:

1. No matter where your ball is, you should always be aiming for a target. Developing accuracy and playing with a strategic mindset means choosing a target to shoot at, even if you cannot see the hole.

By choosing a small target, such as an object or a location on the fairway, visualize the ball heading in that exact direction. This technique has been proven to help thousands of golfers to hit more accurate shots in line with their target.

2. Just because you are hitting the ball from the tee, that does not mean that the driver should be used each and every time.
Yes, the driver will hit the ball the farthest, but it also has the least accuracy of every club in your bag. You may be facing a shot with a narrow fairway, or perhaps risking advanced hazards on each side of the fairway.

Either way, your driver may not be the best choice. Instead, consider using your woods, preferably a 3-wood or the 5-wood. You could even use an iron when hitting the ball from the tee if it is deemed necessary.

3. Learn to take your ego out of the game when necessary. Always take the safe shot if you are unsure of what strategy to use. Trying to be the golf hero of the day may ruin your score. Have the mindset to simply keep the ball on the green and finish
the job with your putter.

4. Regardless of playing skill level, all golf players who have been involved in this sport for any amount of time have one thing in common: We all have a “lucky club”.
Beginner golfers may not have such an experience yet, but in time you will. We like to call it our “go to” club. It is the one club in our bag that we consistently
hit the ball well with.

Always use your lucky club whenever you have a very important shot to make. Remember, different clubs are designed to hit the ball in different manners, but any club will work for any shot, most of the time. 
For example, even if your tee off is on a par-5 hole, but the shot absolutely must go well, and your lucky club is a 5-wood, then use it!  Does the 9-iron do the trick for you every time, regardless of the circumstances? Use it!

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

One of the most frustrating mistakes that anyone can make on the golf course is hitting a ball which travels straight up in the air without reaching any distance on the course. This is called a skied shot.

The cause of a skied shot is due to the head of the driver slipping underneath the ball, causing only the top portion of it to make contact. The ball goes practically nowhere, and your driver sustains a nasty ball mark.

If you are having a problem with hitting skied tee shots then you are doing one of two things:

1. You are swinging the driver into the ball with too steep of an arc or,
2. You are teeing the ball way too high.

If the driver makes contact with the ball with too steep an angle, popping it into the air is inevitable. By teeing the ball up too high, the driver slides beneath the golf ball and only the very top portion will connect, thus sending the ball straight up into the air.

How To Prevent The Skied Shot

The key to ending your golf ball popping into the air like that is as simple as following a few basic steps.

For starters, be sure that your swing arc is as shallow as can be when using your driver. On your backswing, move the club back slowly and low to the ground, so that the club head remains close to the turf as long as possible.

When you have reached the top of your backswing, take notice of your hands. They should  not be too far over your head. Instead, the hands should be located approximately one foot or so above the right shoulder (right-handed golfers).

By following the above recommendations, your swing arc will shallow out and prevent contact from happening with too steep of an angle. Also, you can try teeing up the ball a little lower.  A good rule of thumb is to adjust the height of your tee so that you can only see half of the ball sticking up over the head of the driver.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

Here’s what’s going on in the clubshop at Triangle Custom Clubs…
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OK, so call me an NC State fan…

Rats…

I couldn’t make it to the Wyndham this weekend in my neck of the woods
(Greensboro NC)

But I was happy to see that my fellow Raleighite Carl Petterson
tacked on another win to his golf bag.

He’s a former NC State standout, and since my daughter
(and most of my money) goes there, I’m a Wolfpack convert now

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Nancy Lopez on Drugs?

Well. sort of…

It seems she takes a certain blood pressure medication that is on the list of banned substances on the tour.
Lopez has twice requested a waiver, and even sent in a letter from her doctor, but the tour is standing firm…

Guess Nancy’s pressure is up a notch?

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New “What Do You Think” post is coming…
I’ll be putting out another chance for you to comment on a particular golf subject in a couple of days, so make sure you check back from time to time.

By the way - you can always add your comments to any post on the site - so feel free - that’s why it’s here

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Will Annika come back?

OK, here’s a little “What do you Think” for you to respond to right now…
As we all know, Annika has retired from Pro golf.

Or has she?

If MJ or Bret Farve has taught us anything, it that folks that feed off the competative spirit have a hard time laying off the stuff and kicking back.
So - do you think that Annika will really retire, or will she be back in a couple of years?
(Yeah, I know she want’s to have kids, but once the daipers start smelling, that beautiful golf course is gonna look really good )

What do you think?

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

For those of you golfers out there who like to play according to the official rulebook…

(which should be ALL of you, right? )

…there is are specific regulations devoted to using a putter on the course.

So what is the rule when you damage your putter?

Well, the rule states that if a putter is damaged during normal game play, it can be replaced.

OK, to be honest, I’m not sure how a normal game of golf can damage a club, but I do know that a bad temper and an angry swing at the ground can certainly ruin a perfectly good putter! :-0

That brings me to the next part of the rule concerning damaged putters. If you do happen to damage your putter out of anger, which is not considered to be the result of normal game play then you cannot replace it.

Sorry!!!

According to the regulations, you have to stop using the putter without finding a replacement. So I guess that means you have to putt with your 3 iron

The best practice is to calm yourself and avoid getting angry on the course. However, it is not uncommon to have a bad day. Even the professionals are known to blow their tops. Woody Austin, who won the 2004 Buick Championship, actually bent his putter’s shaft when he missed an important putt.

So it can happen to the best of us. Just try so stay calm, OK?

Hit ‘em straight

Ben

Thousands of men, women, and even children search online daily for information on how to play golf. As with any new hobby, getting involved in something you’re not familiar with can create anxiety and nervousness.

You want to get involved with golf, but are probably wondering: How does the game work? Is it the right sport for me? Will it be too hard to learn? What if I’m not good enough?

To give you a better idea of what to expect, here are a few facts:

1. Golf is probably the hardest sport to learn. Although it may seem that the only goal is to hit the ball into a small hole, there is so much more to the game. It may take you a few months just to learn how to make proper contact with the ball.

2. If patience is not one of your better characteristics, golf may not suit your fancy. Of course, patience and focus can be learned in time when playing golf, but far too many beginner players take their mistakes seriously and end up quitting out of frustration.

 3. Golf takes an investment of time, lots of it. If you are going to get started in this sport then you must realize that skill will not happen overnight.  Expect to make hundreds, even thousands of bad shots as you become a better and more experienced player along the way.

Golf may not be the easiest of sports to learn but there is something about the game that no other sport can offer: The ability to enjoy playing golf well into your golden years.

Think about other sports that you may have been involved in. Most of us stopped playing baseball, soccer, football, etc. after high school or college. The reasons can vary, but mostly it is those sports became too vigorous and strenuous.

Golf, on the other hand, is a physically passive game. It is the only sport I know where both a 12 year and an 83 year old Grandfather can play together.

 A Calmer Mindset 

Golf is a humbling sport, not a macho one. The fact of the matter is that you will never beat the course. It’s not meant to be “won”. Golf is a personal game, one that you simply strive to make fewer mistakes each time you play. 

Brute force and aggressiveness has no room on the golf course. Instead, you will learn that humility, grace, and your ability to concentrate are the number one components to the game of golf.

Before I started playing golf, I had no idea why so many of my friends, and especially my father, took so much interest in this seemingly boring sport. Of course that all changed once I took the plunge and started playing golf. Golf has now taken on a lifelong interest and it will do the same for you.

 What can you expect from Golf? 

You will enjoy your failures as much as your victories. When you make a great shot over a sand bunker or onto the green, you’ll boast with your friends about how wonderful the shot was.

You will be drawn to the course day after day, weekend after weekend, to experience the joy of playing just a little bit better than you did the last time. You will think about your mistakes made on the course and be eager to get back as soon as possible to master each and every move. 

Expect a lifelong enjoyment on any golf course, anywhere you travel, for as long as you are able to walk.

Hit ‘em straight

Ben

Hundreds of golf books and articles have been written entirely about putting. The variety of information that can be found on this simple little shot involves different putting styles, strategies, types of putters, philosophies, and individual techniques. There are even pieces of information that include scientific theories and research tests about putting.

Is Putting Really That Important To Study?

Beginner golfers, amateurs, and even some players at the professional level all tend to
overlook just how integral putting is to the game of golf. I know it sounds strange that so many golfers do not consider their putting skills to be paramount to every other type of golf shot, but you have to understand that many people have a fascination with sending the ball skyrocketing through the air from the tee and images of professional golfers sending the ball through great distances with the swing of ultimate grace, not the “boring” putt shot.

The truth is that putting is the culmination of every shot you made on each hole. Each shot you take leads up to that one defining moment when you must make the ball in the hole. 

Think about it, you already got your tee shot straight and flying as far as you can. You’ve taken the approach shot(s) without sending the ball into the rough or other disaster hazards, and now it is on the green waiting to shine as it sinks smoothly into the hole without a glitch.

The Importance Of Sharpening Up Your Putting Skills

When it comes to scoring, putting is the most important part of golf. This final shot takes the perfect amount of speed, confidence, coordination, and precision. You need to adjust your body and swing type so that just enough strength is used to tap the ball, while holding back the excitement you feel to be making the last shot.

And above all, what if you miss? That in itself takes great character to not “blow your top”, so to speak, out of sheer frustration.

You should take the putt shot as serious as you do with every other shot, regardless of the short distance it needs to travel. Consider a long drive that you just hit from the tee which traveled 200 to 300 yards. This giant shot counts the same as a putt: 1 stroke.

The scorecard doesn’t care what type of shot you have to make. So it goes without saying that if you are going to put so much practice into your golf game, especially on the driving range, it is equally important to devote practice and skill to your putting shots.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

Here’s what’s going on in the clubshop at Triangle Custom Clubs…
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Harrington “Surges” past Sergio

Looks like we have a “major” player…

Padraig Harrington drilled some great putts in the stretch and won his second major at the PGA Championship while preventing a strong Sergio Garcia from winning his first major. Again.

Oh well - maybe next season, Sergio - hang in there.

Speaking of next year - The Shark says he’ll be playing in the Masters next year.

It’s gonna be goooood

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Dry Courses
Did you know that Massachusetts and Alaska are the only two states in the US that do not allow alcohol on golf courses?

Oh, well I guess if you live there you know…

At least Massachusetts is considering removing the ban.
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Phil goes to Washington

In case you were wondering why Phil Mickelson was not at the Canadian Open, he was testifing before the US Congress in support of funding for math and science programs.
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Rocco whiffs and lives to laugh about it
At the British Open, Rocco Mediate took a swing at his ball near the second green… and missed - ending up with a double bogey.
(Granted it was a terrible lie.)

He told someone later: “Just so you know, I made 6 on that hole.
…That first one was not a practice swing.”
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If he can do it…

Recently the PGA Board of Directors unamiously approved a class A PGA license for Ryan Ely of Maryland.

Ryan was born without the use of his left hand and the left side of this body, but he regulary shoots below 90, using just his right side and hand.

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Golf Quote

“Golf is a game of miles that comes down to inches:
- Linn Strickler - caddy for Greg Norman at the British Open
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Make sure you visit my other websites

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/golf-tips

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/putting-tips

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/greatgolftips

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben