February 22, 2012

You are here: Home / Archives for Golf Equipment

What’s In The Golf Bag

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After every PGA Tour tournament it’s inevitable that someone asks the question: What’s in his golf bag? Meaning what golf clubs is a player carrying around the course. Most of the time PGA professionals are carrying the latest line of clubs from their sponsors but every once in a while you find a golfer who is carrying around classics. If you do happen to see a classic it’s usually a players putter. Vintage Titleist-Scotty Cameron putters and a few PING classics are inevitable to show up in more than a few golf bags during a tournament.

The other question is how many clubs are they carrying in their bag? The technical rules state that a player is only allowed 14 clubs in their bag when playing in a tournament. Some players carry around various wedges or hybrids to suit their specific set of skills on the course. Some players are like Phil Mickelson, they like to tinker and change clubs frequently. Phil adds clubs takes them away to adapt to course, he has even brought 2 drivers to The Masters.

When a weekend warrior golfer buys a new club he indubitably shows it off to his buddies during his next tee time or when he hits the range. There are entire sites and communities dedicated to the golf fan and connoisseur of golf clubs; even down to the specific club like the putter i.e. puttertalk. Making popular destinations for like-minded golfers. Fans are able to discuss their latest purchases and help others find their vintage or shiny new clubs.

It begs the question what are the everyday golfers carrying around in their golf bag. Do they run out and buy the latest and greatest club that manufacturers are advertising or are they sticking to their trusted set they found in the closet from 1980. Generally they tend to have a hodgepodge of clubs, balls, tees, and other gear.

Both golf clubs and bags have new designs and technology to make them lighter, so why do they still seem to be getting heavier? I have more stuff in my bag than a small village. Does you’re golf bag sound anything like this:

Tees, balls, ball markers, divot tools, towels, golf gloves, rain suit, umbrella, water bottle, rule book, bag tags, blank score cards, pencils, golf GPS, first aid kit, sun glasses, sun screen, energy bars, gloves…. I swear the list goes on it’s insufferable.

So have you trimmed you’re accessories down or do you just pack on the weight and hoof it out? Maybe this is the reason I have been opting for a golf cart your last few rounds. So what do you have in your bag?

Golf fanatic and blogger that enjoys sharing my new found golf knowledge with others. I am a fan of checking out the latest golf clubs and learning new techniques and tips from fellow player. I can be found writing about all of this and more at my golf blog Discovering The Game of Golf.

Filed Under: Course Managment, Golf Equipment Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tiger Woods Gets All The Attention… Of A Golf Shoe

August 10, 2011 By 2 Comments

Tiger Woods returned to golf after a 3-month hiatus and just about put the golf media into a frenzy. Returning to a course where he had a past of dominating was a comforting feeling for the golfer.

His record at the Firestone Country Club had been anything but ordinary, of the 12 times Tiger played there professionally since 1999 he won 7 times. Fans questioned whether he could come back and win after an 11-week layoff. Nike wanted to suit him up with something new just to make sure he still dazzled the crowd.

Showing off a new prototype golf shoe only Nike and Tiger could pull off. Adorned with his signature black and red colors the new shoes were inspired by Nike’s FREE technology. Originally developed in 2004 the Nike FREE technology is designed as a natural motion technology. Natural motion means that the shoe is designed to mimic and conform to the natural motion of the foot. However, on the golf shoe of course they kept in mind a golfer still needs a good amount of protection and traction to be a high performance shoe. What they did for the golf shoe was allowed for more movement in the front of the foot to increase stability with mobility. This means that Tiger will has greater stability when he’s addressing the ball and the freedom to move naturally for more power. While rehabilitating his knee he’s also hoping these shoes will keep the natural motion in check and save him from any further injuries.

Unfortunately, Tiger wasn’t exactly hitting up to par and finished T37 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. No word yet if he will be wearing the prototype golf shoes again or not. Just in case Nike has created a special edition Lunar Control golf shoes specially for the 93rd PGA Championship.

 

Golf fanatic and blogger that enjoys sharing my new found golf knowledge with others. I am a fan of checking out the latest golf clubs and learning new techniques and tips from fellow player. I can be found writing about all of this and more at my golf blog Discovering The Game of Golf.

Filed Under: Golf Equipment, PGA Tour News, Tiger Woods Tagged With:

Do Golf Balls Have Specifications?

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Actually: yes. Golf balls do have to fall under certain specifications when they are being made. While it is true that they type of golf ball you use may matter (at least to you), they all have to be made to follow the same specifications.

All golf balls have to meet the following specifications:

Weight: The maximum allowable weight of a golf ball is 1.62 ounces. However, there is no minimum weight, so some may be slightly lighter, depending on the brand.

Size: There is a minimum permissible weight for a golf ball. That number is 1.68 inches in diameter. There is no maximum size, but you can imagine how hard it would be to play with a larger golf ball.

Initial Velocity: Surprisingly, there is a standard for this. Don’t worry; you won’t be able to hit a ball this hard. The speed at which a ball can leave the clubhead must not be greater than 250 feet per second. In other words, you would need to hit the ball and make it travel at 174 mph to achieve this.

Overall Distance Standard: This standard is tested by “Iron Byron” on the outdoor range of the USGA Research and Test Center. Conditions are controlled of course.

Just like any other sport, golf balls do indeed have to fall under certain specs.

Filed Under: Golf Equipment Tagged With: , ,

Repairing Golf Spikes

July 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Spikes on golf shoes are an extremely important part of golf equipment. Repairing your spikes properly can be the difference between sliding around during a shot and a stable foundation that will allow you the most optimal ball contact possible.

Be sure to check frequently for worn out or missing spikes on the bottom of your chosen brand of golf shoes. If worn or missing spikes are found, then they should be replaced immediately. The process is actually fast and simple. You don’t have to buy brand new golf shoes every time you lose a spike or wear down a spike (that would be very costly); you simply need to perform a simple switch. Here is what you do:

  1. Buy a Pack of Replacement spikes and a Tool to Unscrew the Spikes With. *Remember, different shoes have different spikes, so make sure you buy the correct brand.
  2. Screw-in spikes can be easily removed using the tool you purchase. Simply attach the tool to the spike and twist them off one by one. *Be sure to keep the threads clean when attaching the new spikes, you can even coat them with some petroleum jelly to add a nice easy base for tightening.
  3. You are done! See that was easy. Whether you have plastic spikes or metal spikes, the process is more often than not the same. You just need the correct spikes and the correct spike wrench.

Always keep your golf spikes up-to-date, it will give you a safer platform to swing from, and it will allow you to play a decent round even in the poorest weather.

Filed Under: Golf Equipment Tagged With: , , ,