Cleveland CG Red Irons As A Gift

I was lucky to receive a new set of Cleveland CG Red irons for Christmas. I've used them a few times and I have to say I'm impressed. I've been using Cleveland irons for 6 years with my last set being the TA2's, which were hard to part with.

At first I wasn't sure about the red insert in the cavity back of the iron, but once you're at address you don't even and see it. The club is very attractive looking at set up and it has nice top line.

The CG Red's are a very solid golf club. They do well with off center hits and they're pretty accurate too. I hit probably hit the CG Red's a couple yards longer than my TA2's, but that wasn't the reason I asked for them for Christmas. These irons are just as workable as the TA2's so I'm looking forward to getting a few more rounds under my belt.

I've always liked Cleveland's irons and I felt the CG Red's were the next step to take because 6 years of technology these days in the golf club industry can make a couple of strokes difference in your game. So I had to hang up my TA2's and put the CG Red's in my bag. I had them shafted with Stiff True Temper Dynamic Gold with Sensicore shafts, which are what I had in my TA2's. I almost went with the Black Gold shafts, and even though I read some nice reviews about these shafts I decided to stick with what has been working.

I did look into the Project X shafts, but I read a lot of mixed reviews on them from other golfers so I didn't want to take the chance.

If you're on the fence about the CG Red's then I hope this helped you in your decision.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs Nov 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of Nov 2007. These were the hottest golf clubs in demand during the month of November and Ping golf clubs continue to dominate the list, but Callaway is making a run with 3 of their own clubs in the top 10.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Ping G2 Driver
3. Callaway Golf X-20 Iron Set
4. Callaway Golf X-18 Iron Set
5. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
6. TaylorMade Burner 460 Driver
7. Titleist 905R Driver
8. Ping G5 Iron set
9. Ping G5 Driver
10. Callaway Golf X-14 Iron Set

What can I say... once again the hottest golf clubs for the month are The Ping Eye 2 Iron set. These golf clubs have been #1 for well over a year now. I personally haven't hit these clubs, but I'd like to here from those golfers who have played them.

The hottest golf club for this month is the Ping G2 Driver, which came out of no where to take the #2 spot. This driver wasn't even in the top 10 last month. Ping has 4 golf products in the top 10 and Callway has 3 with TaylorMade having 2 drivers.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of Oct 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of Oct 2007.

If you play the Ping Eye 2 irons I'd like to here your thoughts about them. Why do you think they're in such high demand?

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Callaway, Ping Eye 2

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs Oct 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of Oct 2007. These golf clubs were the hottest golf clubs in demand during the month. I apologize for getting this months top golf clubs out late.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Callaway Golf X-18 Iron Set
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. Ping G5 Iron set
5. TaylorMade Burner 460 Driver
6. Callaway Golf X-20 Iron Set
7. Titleist 905R Driver
8. Callaway Golf X-14 Iron Set
9. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
10. Titleist 907D2 Driver

I'm absolutely amazed that once again the hottest golf clubs for the month are The Ping Eye 2 Iron set. These golf clubs have been #1 for over a year now. If they're that popular of a golf club they must be hard to come by. I personally haven't hit them, but they must be a good club.

The hottest golf club for this month is the Callaway Golf X-20 Iron Set, which came out of no where to take the #6 spot. These irons weren't even in the top 10 last month. Ping has 3 golf products in the top 10 and both TaylorMade and Titleist have 2 drivers in the top 10.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of Sep 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of Sep 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Callaway, Ping Eye 2

Another Winter Of Golf Is Coming

Another winter is just around the corner and that means no golf for a lot of people around the country. Even though I live in Southern California, I find myself playing less golf during this time.

I can imagine for those of you who are in colder climates that not being able to play golf during this time is hard... or maybe you're used to it now.

If you're one of these golfers I'd like to hear from you to see what you do to get yourself through the winter without golf.

Do you hit golf balls into a net in your garage?

Do you practice putting on your carpet in the house?

Let me know.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs Sept 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of Sept 2007. These golf clubs were the hottest golf clubs in demand during the month.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Callaway Golf X-18 Iron Set
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. TaylorMade Burner 460 Driver
5. Ping G5 Iron set
6. Titleist 905R Driver
7. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
8. Callaway Golf FT-5 Driver
9. Callaway Golf X-20 Iron Set
10. Titleist 907D2 Driver

If you've been following my monthly reports on the hottest golf clubs then you know that the The Ping Eye 2 Iron set has been in the #1 spot for about a year now. People really like these clubs. I personally haven't hit them, but they must be a good club.

The hottest golf club for this month is the TaylorMade Burner 460 Driver, which came out of no where to take the #4 spot. This driver wasn't even in the top 10 last month. Both TaylorMade and Titleist have 2 drivers in the top 10 this month. The Ping G5 Driver moved up to the #3 spot from the #6 spot in August.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of Aug 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of Aug 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Callaway, Ping Eye 2

Here Are The Presidents Cup Teams

The 2007 Presidents Cup starts this Thursday (Sept 27th) at the Royal Montreal in Canada. Team USA takes their 4-1-1 record into Canada against the International Team. Below are the 12 man teams for both sides.

Team USA

• Tiger Woods - What can you say about Tiger. Seven wins, 1 major, numerous records, and 1 playoff championship title.


• Jim Furyk - He had 1 win and eight top-10's with a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open.


• Phil Mickelson - He won a couple tournaments, but Phil is Phil... anything can happen.


• Zack Johnson - He had his first major at the Masters and his second AT&T Classic. Tied for second in the TOUR Championship with Steve Stricker.


• Charles Howell III - Ended five year win-less drought by winning the Nissan Open and beating Mickelson.


• David Toms - He didn't win this year and he had only 2 top-5 finishes.


• Scott Verplank - He had 9 top-10's and a victory at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship.


• Steve Stricker - Without a doubt the most improved player on the tour this year. Finished 2nd behind Tiger Woods for the FedEx Cup.


• Stewart Cink - He had 6 top-10's in 23 starts and qualified for the TOUR Championship, but a rather disappointing season.


• Woody Austin - He made the team by finishing runner-up at the PGA Championship. Won the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis with a closing round of 62.


• Hunter Mahan - He won the Travelers Championship for his first PGA Tour win. Tied for fifth in TOUR Championship.


• Lucas Glover - He was a captain's pick with a very weak season. Only 3 top-10's in 27 starts.

International Team

• Ernie Els - He didn't have a very good year with a 2nd at the Verizon and tied for fourth at the British Open.


• Adam Scott - He won the Shell Houston Open and a runner-up at the Mercedes Championship.


• Vijay Singh - He had 2 early wins in the season, but missed back-to-back cuts and he's fallen to 12th in the world.


• Geoff Ogilvy - He had 6 top-10's in 22 starts, but no wins.


• Rory Sabbatini - He made a name for himself this year on and off the course. Won at the Colonial and had five other top-3 finishes. Finished in the top-10 in the World Golf Rankings.


• K.J. Choi - He had a great year with wins at The Memorial and The AT&T National. Finished 5th on the money list.


• Retief Goosen - He has a quiet year with the only bright spot at Augusta finishing runner-up to Zack Johnson.


• Angel Cabrera - He had the stunning victory at the U.S. Open at Oakmont by holding of Tiger Woods. Hasn't done anything since the win.


• Tevor Immelman - He didn't do that much this season other than finishing 3rd at the WGC-Match Play and in Maui.


• Stuart Appleby - He had an up and down season. He had a chance to win his fourth consecutive Mercedes Championship, but let it slip away.


• Nick O'Hern - His only highlight was defeating Tiger Woods in 20 holes at the WGC-Match Play event.


• Mike Weir - He'll have a lot of pressure on his shoulders after Gary Player chose him as a captain's. He had only two top-10's and currently ranks outside the top 40 in the World Golf Rankings.pick.

Team USA looks very strong again and I see them holding up the Presidents Cup come Sunday afternoon.

Do you agree?

What's In Tiger's Golf Bag - 2007 Tour Championship

Tiger Woods won his 61st PGA tour event last weekend by winning the 2007 THE TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, Georgia. This was the final leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs called the FedEx Cup. Tiger posted all 4 rounds in the 60's for the second week in a row and took home the FedEx Cup, which was his 7th win of the year. Do you want to know what Tiger was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Irons: (2-PW) Nike Blades
SW: Nike Pro Combo 56°
LW: Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Stainless Newport 2
Ball: Nike One Platinum

Tiger shot a final round 66 to win by an astounding 8-strokes. He played at a level that we haven't seen since 2000, which is basically untouchable. He finished at 23-under par with Mark Calcavecchia and Zack Johnson at 15-under. Tiger took home $1,260,000 for the win and went above $10 million for the year. He also won the $10 million dollar bonus prize for winning the inaugural PGA Tour Playoffs FedEx Cup. Steve Stricker held on to 2nd place in the FedEx Cup standings and took home $3 million with Phil Mickelson finishing 3rd.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

Is Tiger Woods The Best Golfer Ever?

To me this is a ludicrous question. How can anyone think that he's not the best golfer that has ever played the game. Just like he did in 2000, Tiger is playing at a level that's untouchable by other golfers. It's almost like watching a professional golfer playing in an amateur golf tournament and lapping the field.

At the Tournament Players Championship this weekend Tiger looked invincible. He cruised to an 8-shot victory and placed first in the FedEx Cup standings collecting $1.26 million and $10 million dollars respectively.

Tiger has won 61 PGA Tour events and 1 shy of Arnold Palmer's 62 career wins, but you have to remember Tiger has done it in only 11 years. At this pace Tiger will pass Sam Snead's 82 career wins in about 4 years.

As a golfer you have to admire how good he is. He's untouchable when he's playing at his best and the rest of the PGA Tour will probably go back to the mindset of playing for second, which is what most players had conceded to during the 2000 PGA Tour season (the last time Tiger completely dominated the tour).

Some golf analysts say that Tiger is in his prime and that he could run off 4, 5, or more wins in a row several times throughout the years to come. Who knows he may win 12 in a row and eclipse Byron Nelson's record of 11 victories in a row. To hear Johnny Miller praise another golfer is rare. He typically has something negative to say about every golfer, but with Tiger I can see that he's in complete awe of his abilities.

All I can say is WOW! Tiger Woods is without a doubt the best golfer to ever play the game and I feel privileged to watch history being made in the sport that I love.

What's In Tiger's Golf Bag - 2007 BMW

Tiger Woods won his 60th PGA tour event last weekend by winning the 2007 BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club Lemont, Illinois. Tiger posted all 4 rounds in the 60's. Do you want to know what Tiger was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Irons:  (2-PW) Nike Blades
SW:     Nike Pro Combo 56°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Stainless Newport 2
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

Tiger shot a final round 63 to win by 2-strokes, but Steve Stricker and Aaron Baddeley put the pressure on early in the round by matching birdie for birdie with Tiger. Tiger pretty much shut the door on the par 3 12th by draining a 50-footer for birdie. Tiger made 3 more birdies going in to finish at -22 under, which is a tournament record. Tiger took home $1,260,000 for the win and went above $9 million for the year. He also hit the $75 million dollar career earnings mark in only 11 years on the tour.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

Tiger Has His A Game At Cog Hill

If you didn't see Tiger play this weekend at the BMW Championship then you missed something very special. Tiger shot the easiest 63 I've ever seen and it could have been lower. He had several lip outs that could have made it 60 or 61.

I think Tiger has reached a peak in his performance and is now playing with his a game. It was pretty exciting watching Tiger, Aaron Baddeley, and Steve Stricker trading birdies starting on the back nine. But when Baddeley and Stricker parred and bogeyed respectively on 12 Tiger had just birdied by drawing a 50-footer. Tiger birdied 3 more times coming in and it was over. He finished at 22-under 2 shots ahead of Baddeley and 4 shots ahead of Stricker.

Next weekend at the Tour Championship should be very exciting. If Tiger brings his A game then he's going to be impossible to beat.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs Aug 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of Aug 2007. These golf clubs were the hottest golf clubs in demand during the month of August.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Callaway X-18 Iron set
3. TaylorMade R580 XD Driver
4. Ping G5 Iron set
5. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
6. Ping G5 Driver
7. Titleist 905R Driver
8. Nike SasQuatch Driver
9. Callaway Steelhead X-14 Iron set
10. TaylorMade r7 quad Driver

I probably sound like a broken record when I say The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. Like I stated last month, the Ping Eye 2 iron set will be the most popular golf clubs for 2007. It has now been the #1 hottest golf club 8 straight months since January. The hottest golf club for this month is the TaylorMade R580 XD Driver, which came out of no where to take the #3 spot. This driver wasn't even in the top 10 last month. TaylorMade has 4 drivers in the top 10 this month.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of July 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of July 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Callaway, Ping Eye
2

What's In Phil Mickelson's Golf Bag? - 2007 Deutsche Bank

Phil Mickelson won the 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship this last weekend at the TPC of Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. Phil played solid all 4 days. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver:  Callaway FT-5 8.5°
3+ Wood: Callaway X Hot 15°
Hybrid:  Callaway FT 3H 17°
Hybrid:  Callaway X 4H 21°
Irons    (5-PW) Callaway X-Forged
GW:      Callaway X-Tour 52°
SW:      Callaway X-Tour 60°
LW:      Callaway X-Tour 64°
Putter:  Odyssey White Hot XG #9
Ball:    Callaway HX Tour

Phil was paired with Tiger Woods on Sunday and held the lead the entire day. Tiger did make a charge on the back nine, but Phil answered by matching Tiger's birdies. Tiger had at least 3 very makeable birdie putts on the back nine that he couldn't convert. Phil finished at 16-under with Tiger 2-strokes back at 14-under. Phil now holds the lead in the FedEx Cup points with Steve Stricker in 2nd and Tiger Woods in 3rd.remains as the #1 golfer in the world. He took home $1,620,000 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Phil Mickelson

The Club Caddy Is A Great Golf Invention

I watched the Golf Channel tonight to see who was going to win "Fore Inventors Only" and "The Club Caddy" came out on top. This invention is so simple and so easy to use that I'm sure every golfer could use it.

If you haven't seen it... it looks like a clothes pin. You clamp it to the shaft of the golf club close to the head of the golf club. It creates a tripod type of stand between the clip and club head. It's used to keep your club from getting wet or dirty when laying on the ground. You know when you grab your wedge and putter and have to set your putter down on the ground to hit your wedge? Well this little gadget will keep your golf club grip from getting wet.

If my description doesn't make sense then go take a look here at The Club Caddy on thegolfchannel.com.

What do you think of the invention? Will you buy one?

Tiger No Where To Be Found At Deutsche Bank

Well it looks like Tiger might have used up all of his birdies during his pro-am round yesterday by shooting 63. Today he finished with a 1-over par 72, which inluded a double-bogey at the 298-yard fourth hole. It took him 3 shots to get out of the bunker directly in front of the green. He did everything he could to shoot the 1-over par round.

Michelson did a little better with a 1-under 70 that included a triple-bogey on the ninth hole. Vijay Singh 4-putted from 15-feet on the opening hole for a double that pretty much set the tone for his round that finished at 74.

The star of the day was Camilo Villegas who shot a career low round of 8-under 63. He's 2 shots ahead of former Masters winner Mike Wier who shot his lowest round of the year.

Steve Striker continued with his hot play with a 4-under 67 and more importantly keeping himself a top the leader board in protecting his first place standing in the FedEx Cup points.

As we all know, Tiger will be there come the weekend. I figure he'll need to shoot around 66 or 67 to make sure he plays on the weekend. Hopefully he can get his game back to produce some points towards his FedEx Cup standing.

What's In Steve Stricker's Golf Bag - 2007 Barclays

Steve Stricker won the 2007 Barclays last weekend at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, New York. This was the first tournament of the FedEx Playoffs. Do you want to know what Steve was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Titleist PT 905T 8.5°
3 Wood: Titleist 906F2 13°
Hybrid: Titleist 585.H 17°
Irons:  (3-PW) Titleist 755
SW     Titleist Vokey Design 200 series 54°
LW     Titleist Vokey Design 200 series 60°
Putter: Odyssey White Hot #2
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1

It took 6 1/2 years and 146 tournaments before Steve Striker won again. He went from +2 for the day to -2 by birdieing 4 of hist last 5 holes on Sunday to shoot a 69. Steve won by 2-strokes ahead of K.J. Choi and ahead of 10 other players within 5 strokes of the lead. His birdie on 18 sealed the victory when K.J. could do no better than par. Stricker took home $1.26 million for his win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

What's In Brandt Snedeker's Golf Bag - 2007 Wyndham

Brandt Snedeker won the 2007 Wyndham Championship last weekend at Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. Do you want to know what Tiger was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: TaylorMade r7 425 9.5°
3 Wood: Bridgestone 5 Tour Premium 14°
Hybrid: TaylorMade Rescue mid 19°
Irons:  (3-PW) TaylorMade r7 TP
SW:     Cleveland TA 588 54°
LW:     Cleveland TA 588 58°
Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG Rossie
Ball:   Bridgestone Tour B330-S

Snedeker shot an incredible final round 63 (9-under) to win by 2-strokes and his first tour win as a rookie. He overcame a 3-shot deficit going into the 3rd round. Brandt was tied with Tim Petrovic with 2 holes to play until he made a 32-foot birdie putt on 17 to go up by one. Snedaker finished with a par on 18 and Petrovic made bogey. Brandt took home $900,000 for his first win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

What's In Tiger's Golf Bag - 2007 PGA

Tiger Woods wins another major last weekend by winning the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa, Oklahoma. All four days were played in 100+ degree heat with high humidity. Do you want to know what Tiger was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Irons:  (2-PW) Nike Blades
SW:     Nike Pro Combo 56°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Stainless Newport 2
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

Tiger shot a final round 69 to win by 2-strokes, but he did have some pressure by Ernie Els and Steve Stricker late in the round. Tiger made a clutch birdie on 15 to go up by 2-strokes and never looked back. Tiger took home $1,260,000 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

How Good Is The Ping Rapture Driver?

I've been in the market for a new driver lately looking to replace my r7 425 Quad TP with a XS Fujikura Speeder. I recently hit the Nike SasQuatch Sumo, Nike SasQuatch Sumo Square, TaylorMade r7 Superquad, TaylorMade Burner, Callaway Big Birtha 454, and Callway Fusion FT-5 at a golf demo day. The one that hit it the straightest was the one that I didn't like... the Nike SasQuatch Sumo Square.

The Ping booth was too long so I didn't get a chance to try the Ping Rapture. I've been doing some research and every review I've read (15) has been excellent. All of the reviewers can't believe how straight and long the driver is compared to their other drivers like the r7, G5, Callaway, etc... I went to Ping's website and read the specs on the club and I'm very impressed.

I've used TaylorMade drivers since the first Burner came out, but the Ping Rapture has really got me curious. Both Bubba Smith and Angel Cabrera on the PGA Tour play the Ping Rapture... and these guys hit it a ton. Who can forgot Angel's 397-yard drive in this year's US Open at Oakmont.

So how good is the Ping Rapture Driver?

If you play the new Ping Rapture then I'd really like to get your opinion. If you know of someone who plays it let me know how they like it.

What's In Tiger's Golf Bag - 2007 WGC

Tiger Woods sent another message to Rory Sabatini by shooting a final round 65 to win the 2007 WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club Akron, Ohio. Rory was the 3rd round leader going into Sunday's final round.Do you want to know what Tiger was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
5 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 19°
Irons:  (3-PW) Nike Blades
SW:     Nike Pro Combo 56°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Stainless Newport 2
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

Tiger had a bogey free day and shot the his lowest round of the tournament. He started the day 1 shot back from Rory, but quickly erased that on the front nine and lapped the field winning by 8 strokes at 8 under. Tiger is starting to play like Tiger, which is a good thing going into the last major of the year. Tiger took home $1,135,000 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs July 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of July 2007. These golf clubs were the hottest golf clubs in demand during the month of July.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Callaway X-18 Iron set
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. Callaway Steelhead X-14 Iron set
5. Titleist 905R Driver
6. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
7. Nike SasQuatch Driver
8. TaylorMade r7 quad Driver
9. TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver
10. Ping G2 Driver

Again The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. It's official... the Ping Eye 2 iron set will be the most popular golf clubs for 2007. It has been the #1 hottest golf club 7 straight months since January. The hottest golf club for this month is the Callaway Steelhead X-14 Iron set, which came out of no where to take the #4 spot. This iron set wasn't even in the top 10 last month. TaylorMade had 4 drivers in the top 10, but the r7 425 dropped out.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of June 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of May 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Callaway, Ping Eye
2

What's In Jim Furyk's Golf Bag - 2007 Canadian Open

Jim Furyk won the 2007 Canadian Open last weekend at Angus Glen Golf Club Markham, Ontario, Canada. This was Jim's first win of the 2007 season, which coincedentally was the last tournament Jim won in 2006. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad 10.5°
3 Wood: Adams Insight BYT
Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro 18°
Irons:  (3, 5-PW) Srixon I-506
GW:     Titleist Vokey Design 50°
SW:     Srixon forged 55°
LW:     Srixon forged 60°
Putter: Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball
Ball:   Srixon Z-URC

Furyk shot a final-round 64 for a 16-under 268 total to win by one stroke over Vijay Singh. Jim took the lead on Sunday at the 4th hole by acing the par 3. The 3rd round leader, Vijay Singh, shot a final round 68 to finish at 15-under. Furyk earned $900,000 for the win.

What's In Padraig Harrington's Golf Bag? - Open Championship

Padraig Harrington won the 2007 Open Championship two weekends ago at Carnoustie Golf Links Angus, Scotland. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Wilson Dd6 7.5°
3 Wood: Callaway X Hot
5 Wood: Wilson Staff FWS
Hybrid: Wilson Staff Dh6 19°
Irons:  (4-PW) Wilson Staff Pi5
SW:     Wilson Staff TW7 52°
LW:     Wilson Staff TW7 60°
Putter: Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1x

Padraig won in a 4-hole playoff against Sergio Garcia. Harrington shot a 4-under 67 while Garcia shot a 2-over 73 with both finishing at 7-under par. The Open Championship playoff is 4 holes aggregate score. Padraig won by one after the 4th hole, but Sergio had a chance to tie with a 25-foot put that just barely missed.

Padraig was the first Irishman to win the British Open in 60 years. Andres Romero from Argentina finished at -6 and if it wasn't for his 2-double bogeys on the back nine he would have taken home the Claret Jug. Padraig took home $1.5 million for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Padraig Harrington

What's In Jonathan Byrd's Golf Bag? - John Deere

Jonathan Byrd won the 2007 John Deere Classic last weekend at TPC at Deere Run Silvis, Illinois. This was Byrd's third PGA win and his first of the 2007 season. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Callaway Fusion FT-3 10.5°
3 Wood: Callaway ERC Fusion
5 Wood: Callaway ERC Fusion
3 Iron: Mizuno MP-60
Irons:  (4-PW) Mizuno MP-32
SW:     Titleist Vokey Design 58°
LW:     Titleist Vokey Design 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport Tour 350
Ball:   Titleist Pro V1x

Byrd shot a final-round 66 for a 18-under 266 total to win by one stroke over Tim Clark. Jonathan basically took the tournament in his own hands by making 3 birdies down the stretch out of the last 5 holes. Third round leader Nathan Green finished in a tie for third place with Troy Matteson at 15-under. Byrd earned $738,000 for the win.

Golf's Dreaded Shank Witnessed On PGA Tour

Yes you read that right. Kenny Perry of the PGA tour hit a dead on shank this weekend during the John Deere Classic. It was definitely a shocker to see while watching it on TV. The camera was directly behind Kenny and when he hit the chip it went straight right. If you're new to the game of golf a shank is probably equivalent to someone scratching a chalkboard with their nails. It's when the golf ball hits the hosel of your iron instead of the face, which causes the ball to veer to the right. I would consider it to be the worst shot you can hit in golf.

What was even more amazing then Perry's shank was the announcer's reaction. There was a brief moment of silence then the announcer started sugar coating the miss... it seemed like he was saying everything but the the "S" (shank) word. It was as if they were forbidden to say it in fear of jinxing him or something.

Not until a few minutes later did one of the announcers say that he shanked it.

I've seen PGA players hit some really bad shots, but this has to be in my top 3 list.

Do you have any shank shot stories to share? I'd like to here them.

What's In K.J. Choi's Golf Bag? - ATT National

K.J. Choi won the 2007 AT&T National Tournament last weekend at Congressional Country Club Bethesda, Maryland. This was Tiger Woods hosted the tournament in its inaugural debut. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Sumo² 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Hybrid: Nike T100 17
Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro 22°
Irons:  (4-PW) Nike Blades
SW:     Nike Pro Combo 54°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Odyssey Tri-Hot 2
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

K.J. shot a final-round 68 for a 9-under 271 total to win for the sixth time on the PGA TOUR, the most victories by an Asian-born player. Stuart Appleby was the third round leader at 9-under, but he crumbled with a 6-over 76 to finish at 3-under and a tie for third place. Tiger Woods finished at 2-under and in a tie for 6th place. Choi earned $1.08 million for the win.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs June 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of June 2007.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Callaway X-18 Iron set
3. Titleist 905R Driver
4. Ping G5 Driver
5. Nike SasQuatch Driver
6. TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver
7. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
8. TaylorMade r7 quad Driver
9. Ping G2 Driver
10. TaylorMade r7 425 Driver

Again The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. It looks like the Ping Eye 2 iron set is going to be the most popular golf clubs for 2007. It's already been the #1 hottest golf club January through June. The hottest golf club for this month is the Callaway X-18 Iron set, which moved from #6 to #2. The TaylorMade drivers now hold 4 of the top 10 spots, which makes sense because TaylorMade is the hottest driver on tour or anywhere.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of May 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of May 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Nike SasQuatch, Ping Eye
2

What's In Cristie Kerr's Golf Bag? - 2007 US Open

Cristie Kerr won the women's 2007 US Open this last weekend at Pine Needles Lodge at GC Southern Pines, North Carolina. Do you want to know what she was carrying in her golf bag during the win?

Driver:  Ping Rapture 10°
4+ Wood: Callaway Big Bertha
5 Wood:  Callaway Big Bertha
7 Wood:  Callaway Big Bertha
Irons:   (4-PW) Callaway X-16
SW:      Callaway 52°
LW:      Callaway 58°
Putter:  Ping Craz-e
Ball:    Titleist New Pro V1

Cristie was the 54-hole leader going into Sunday's round. In her final round she made a 18-foot birdie putt on 14 to take back the lead from Ochoa. Ochoa made a series of mistakes down the stretch that she couldn't recover from. Kerr shot a 1-under 70 final round to win by 2 strokes over Lorena Ochoa. Cristie finished the tournament at 5-under par 279 for her 10th career LPGA victory.

Cristie had a premonition at the beginning of the season that she was going to win the US Open at Pine Needles this year. She said to hold of Ochoa and win the US Open was what dreams are made of. Kerr took home $560,000 for the win.

3 Steps To Hitting A Golf Ball Over Water

I know all of us at one time or another have dreaded hitting their golf ball over the water. I'm sure even the PGA pros have those negative thoughts of going into the water. Don't believe me... I bet you close to 50% of those golfers who played in this years TPC were thinking "don't hit it into the water" when hitting their tee shot on the 17th Island green.

Ok, here are the 3 steps to hitting your golf shot over water.

1. You want to first pick a landing spot. This should be a distance that you're comfortable hitting and that you can hit consistently. Now this may not be a distance that can get you to the hole, but it is a distance that will keep you dry. This is important because it might get in the way of your pride of not going for the green, but I can guarantee you at the end of the round you'll be glad you did. Don't try to pull of the 1 in 10 golf shot of carrying it 200 yards over water.

2. Now you want to take one more club than you usually use to hit this distance. So if you need to carry the ball 150 yards with an 8-iron then plan for a 160 yard shot with a 7-iron. This is very important because we're talking about carrying the ball that distance not coming to rest at that distance. A lot of golfers don't factor this in and end up hitting it short into the water.

3. The final step is to think positive. I know that sounds cliche, but you'd be amazed how true it is. If you've done the first 2 steps then there's no reason why you shouldn't feel confident about pulling off the golf shot. You want your last mental thought and image to be positive with the ball landing on the spot you selected.

I hope this helps you out on your next round of golf. Let me know if this golf tip saved you a stroke or two.

What's In Hunter Mahan's Golf Bag? - 2007 Travelers

Hunter Mahan won the 2007 Travelers Championship this last weekend at TPC at River Highlands Cromwell, Connecticut. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: PING Rapture 9°
Hybrid: PING Rapture 18°
3 Wood: Taylor-Made R7 TP 15°
Irons: (3-PW) PING S58
SW: Titleist Vokey 54°
LW: Titleist Vokey 58°
Putter: PING G2i Anser
Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Hunter started the final round very much in contention. He needed a birdie on 18 to tie for the lead and he did just that by sinking a 7-footer. Jay Williamson could have won it by making his 12-footer on the same hole, but he missed it.

They both went back to the tee on 18 and put their drives in the fairway. Mahan stuck his approach shot 2 feet from the pin. Williamson hit his to within 7 feet, but missed his putt high. Hunter made his 2-footer for his first PGA Tour victory. Mahan took home $1.08 million for the win.

Golfing In The Heat At PGA West

As promised, here's my review of my weekend of golf playing the TPC Stadium golf course at PGA West in La Quinta, CA.

I think it goes without saying that it was pretty damn hot. I drove out on Friday and arrived in Palm Springs around 4:30pm and the thermometer read 111 degrees. You have to wonder if golfers, including myself, have a few screws loose to want to play golf in that kind of heat. A couple of my co-workers thought I was crazy to hit a little white golf ball around in the desert. I'd have to agree with them ;-)

Anyway, on Saturday I played the PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament course and at 9:00am it was already 96 degrees. After about 15 minutes on the golf range, I was drenched in sweat and thinking this was going to be a long day.

The first hole was a disaster. I managed to pull an Aaron Baddeley and took a triple-bogey 7. I pulled myself together and was 1-under for the next 8 holes finishing the front in 38. It was highlighted by birdieing number 9, which is the #1 handicap hole. By this time the temperature was probably around 105 and I was starting to feel it.

I started off the back nine a little rough by bogeying the first two holes. I struggled a little bit and managed a 41 on the back, which gave me a 79 for the day. I was somewhat satisfied considering I had a triple and 2 double bogeys.

Sunday's round was on the TPC Stadium course and it was going to be hotter than Saturday. There was absolutely no wind and a lot more humidity because they were watering the course. I was playing well until I came to the par 5 fifth hole. I crushed a drive and had 7-iron left to reach the green in two. I pulled it and ended on the fringe up against the primary rough about 50 feet away. I ended up 3-putting for my 5 and disappointed that I didn't get birdie.

The next hole was the par 3 sixth hole and I hit a 6-iron to about 35 feet. I hit a really poor first put leaving it 8 feet short just short of the ridge I wanted to make it down. Now I had a tricky downhill putt and I proceeded to run that by 4 feet. Well you probably know what comes next... I missed that and ended up with a 4-putt. I can't remember the last time I 4-putted.

My putting confidence went right out the door and I ended up 3-putting the next 2 holes to card a 41 on the front. I started off the back nine really strong and I was even par on the back until I came the par 5 sixteenth hole. If you haven't played the 16th then you haven't seen what I consider to be the highest bunker. It's called "The San Andreas Fault" after the San Andreas earthquake fault line in California. The bunker has to be at least 20 feet deep or more.

I hit a good drive on the hole, but I had a side hill hook lie for my second shot. With "The San Andreas Fault" on the left side of the green my chance to reach the green in 2 safely wasn't looking to good, especially since I started feeling a little nauseous from the heat back on 15. I decided to go for it and sure enough I landed square in the middle of the 20+ foot bunker.

I took out my 56 degree sand wedge and basically opened it up to the point where the face was laying completely flat. I picked out a spot about 2 inches behind the ball and took a full swing. The ball popped up and just barely cleared the lip and probably clipped a few strands of grass. I was so excited that I made it out that I ran up the step grass side of the bunker to see where I landed and I was only 12 feet from the pin... that was a career bunker shot! I missed the putt, but it was a great par.

I started to feel the affects of the run up the side of the green because I was feeling a little dizzy. I felt more nauseous and as I stood on the infamous 17th hole Island green tee I wasn't sure how I was going to hit the ball. Heat stroke was starting to set in and I took a cool wet towel and put it on my neck, but that didn't seem to do much. Needless to say I hit my tee shot in the water and walked away with a triple bogey. I drank as much water as I could and got up to the 18th hole with my hands shaking. I managed to get my drive out there and finish with a bogey and a back nine of 40... with an overall score of 81.

This was the second time I've had a heat stroke or heat exhaustion and it is definitely not fun to have. I drank about 2 Gatorade's and within 30 minutes I was back to normal. If it wasn't for the heat exhaustion I could have easily finished with a 77. You should really get out there and play any of the PGA West golf courses especially the TPC Stadium.

Have you played the Nicklaus Tournament or TPC Stadium course before?

Have you ever had heat exhaustion while playing golf?

Leave me a comment about your experiences with either one.

A PGA West Golf Weekend

I'm off to Palm Springs/La Quinta for a weekend of golf. A friend at work puts on a friendly stroke play tournament every year at PGA West. You get a room and all the golf you can play for around $250 a night, which I think is double occupancy. You'll have to check that.

On Saturday we play the Nicklaus Tournament Course and on Sunday we play the TPC Stadium Course. I pretty sure that to play the Stadium Course alone costs around $125 in the summer. Yes it's going to be hot. I checked the weather and it looks like it's going to be between 105 and 115 on the golf course.

I was fortunate to win the tournament a few years back. I happened to have my golf game at it's peak and carded a 75 and 73 (gross) on the Nicklaus and Stadium courses respectively. I hit a lot of 2-irons and fairway woods off the tees because being in the fairway was a must to score well on these courses... particularly the Stadium course.

If you've never played PGA West you should really give it a shot... especially the TPC Stadium Course with their infamous signature hole... the 17th island green.

If you have played at PGA West then let me know how you did and what you thought of the course(s). I'll post my results next week after I get back. Let's hope I can bring my "A" game to the course this weekend.

What's In Angel Cabrera's Golf Bag? 2007 US Open

Angel Cabrera won the 2007 US Open Golf Championship this last weekend at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Ping Rapture 7.5°
3 wood: Ping TiSi Tech 14°
Hybrid: Nickent 3DX DC ironwood 17°
Irons:  (3-9) Ping S58 w/ Rifle 7.0 shaft
PW:     Ping S58 47°
SW:     Titleist Vokey spin milled 54°
LW:     Titleist Vokey prototype 60°
Putter: Ping Redwood Anser 35 inch long
Ball:   Titleist Pro V1x

Cabrera started the final round 4 shots out of the lead, but ended up winning the tournament by 1 stroke over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. His final round 69 was very impressive considering he had never won a PGA tour event. He had a lot of pressure with Tiger breathing down his neck, but he handled it very well. Tiger had many chances to take the tournament, but his putter pretty much failed him for the entire tournament.

Cabrera is the first Argentinian in golf history to win the US Open. Also, it was the first time in US Open history that an interpreter was required to help present the U.S. Open Trophy to the winning golfer. Angel took home $1.26 million dollars for the win. In second place both Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk took home $611,336.

US Open At Oakmont Gives Amateur Golfers Hope

The US Open Golf Championship is the one time we amateur golfers get to watch professional golfers struggle to play and score well. I think as an amateur we get some sadistic pleasure out watching these guys hit shots that look like a 30-handicapper would hit.

You watch these professional golfers hitting out of the rough and they're only able to advance it 30 yards sometimes. I think watching these tour pros fluff a 10-yard pitch shot back into the rough makes all of us amateur golfers feel a little better about all the times we've done the same at our local golf course.

Sunday's round was hard to watch at times because you had to feel bad for some of those players... especially Aaron Baddeley. He's got a great game and he seems to be a really great person. Watching him make triple-bogey on the first hole of Sunday's round was tough to watch. He wasn't able to recover from that and ended up carding a 10-over 80 finishing at 12-over par for the championship.

You have to give Angel Cabrera a lot of credit for playing the way he did. He hit some incredible golf shots down the stretch with several of his iron shots finishing only a few feet from the hole for tap in birdies.

Tiger Woods had some many chances to tie and even take the lead during his round on Sunday. We've all become accustomed to seeing Tiger pull of the impossible and we all kept waiting for him to make his move on Sunday, but he just wasn't able to do it. His putter pretty much failed him this weekend especially during Saturday's round. I think he could have put the tournament out of reach on Saturday if he had been putting like he usually does. He hit 17 out of 18 greens and made only 2 birdies (1 birdie was a 2-putt on a par 5) and one bogey to finish with a 1-under 69. He could have easily shot 65 or 64 and put a huge amount of pressure on the rest of the field, but it wasn't meant to be.

Furyk made a late run during Sunday's round by birdieing 14, 15, and 16 to get himself within 1 stroke of the lead. I think he lost the tournament by hitting driver on 17 when he should have hit a lay up iron. Furyk ended up bogeying 17 and his chance for a second US Open was gone. Other players who had a chance on Sunday were Paul Casey, Stephen Ames, Steve Stricker, David Toms, Justin Rose, and a few others. At one point each of these players were only a few strokes out of the lead, but at the end of the day Oakmont Country Club prevailed.

Angel Cabrera's final round 69 was enough to give him a 1-stroke victory over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. He become the only Argentinian in golf history to win the US Open Golf Championship. Congratulations Angel... you were the better golfer this weekend.

As an amateur golfer, we should all feel a little better about our own golf game knowing that even a professional golfer can shoot in the 80's and at times look like a high-handicapper.

What's In Woody Austin's Golf Bag? 2007 St. Jude

Woody Austin won the 2007 Stanford St. Jude Championship this last weekend at TPC Southwind Memphis, Tennessee. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Cleveland Launcher Comp 8.5°
3 Wood: Cleveland Launcher Steel 13°
Hybrid: Adams IDEA PRO 18°
Irons:  (3-PW) Cleveland CG1
SW:     Cleveland 588 DSG 56°
LW:     Cleveland 588 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist prototype
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1x

Woody started the final round 4 shots out of the lead, but ended up winning the tournament by 5 strokes. He took things into his own hands by shooting an 8-under 62, which included an eagle, 6 birdies, and no bogies. He finished with a total 267 at 13-under par. Adam Scott, the leader starting the day, fell apart on the back nine and carded a 5-over 75 to finish at 4-under. Brian Davis was the next golfer at 8-under. Austin took home $1.08 million for the win.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs May 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of May 2007.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Titleist 905R Driver
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver
5. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
6. Callaway X-18 Iron set
7. Nike SasQuatch Driver
8. TaylorMade r7 quad Driver
9. Ping G2 Driver
10. TaylorMade r7 425 Driver

Again The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. In fact the top 3 golf clubs are the same as they were last month. The hottest golf club is the TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver, which moved from #8 to #4. The TaylorMade drivers made the biggest move in the top 10 with 4 different drivers. eBay has some really good deals on these TaylorMade drivers, which are the most popular drivers on the PGA tour.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of April 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of April 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Nike SasQuatch, Ping Eye
2

What's In K.J. Choi's Golf Bag? - Memorial

K.J. Choi won the 2007 Memorial Tournament last weekend at Muirfield Village GC Dublin, Ohio. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?
Driver: Nike SasQuatch Sumo² 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Hybrid: Nike T100 17
Hybrid: Sonartec MD 23°
Irons:  (4-PW) Nike Blades
SW:     Nike Pro Combo 54°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Odyssey Tri-Hot 2
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

K.J. overcame a 5-shot deficit by shooting an impressive 7-under 65 on Sunday to win the tournament over Ryan Moore by one stroke. Choi considered this to be his biggest win because he attributes a Jack Nicklaus book that he read as a child for him pursuing a career in golf. He finished at 17-under 271 and earned $1.08 million

What's In Rory Sabbatini's Golf Bag? - Colonial

Rory Sabbatini won the 2007 Crowne Plaza Invitations at Colonial this last weekend at Colonial Country Club Ft. Worth, Texas. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Sumo
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
Hybrid: Adams Idea a2 18°
Irons:  (3-PW) Nike Ignite Irons
SW:     Nike SV 55°
LW:     Nike SV Tour 60°
Putter: Odyssey White Hot
Ball:   Nike One Platinum

Sunday's round started with Rory Sabbatini, Jim Furyk, and Bernhard Langer tied at 11-under. All three of them finished tied at 14-under shooting a 3-under 67, which sent the tournament into a sudden death playoff.

The first playoff hole was on the 18th and all 3 of them found the middle of the fairway off the tee. Bernhard put is shot about 10 feet away and Rory was about 13 feet way.

Furyk rolled his 40-foot put for birdie just by the whole. Rory was next to putt and he drained it with a finish ala Jack Nicklaus with his left arm raised putter in hand. Bernhard had a chance to tie with his 10-footer, but it lipped out and Rory was crowned the winner. Rory took home $1.08 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Rory Sabbatini

Pitch and Putt at The Colonial Golf Tournament

With the low scores golfers are posting at the Colonial during the first 2 rounds, they're making the course look like a pitch and putt.

You have guys like Kevin Na and Anthony Kim shooting 63 in their first round and leading the tournament. Who in the heck is Alex Cejka? This guy is currently tied for first at 7-under.

A PGA Tour event just isn't the same without Tiger or Phil. These guys and the other veterans are what make people want to watch golf on TV. Otherwise it's boring, and this is coming from someone who has played golf for over 30 years.

I might sneak a peak this weekend at the scores while watch TV, but highly doubt I'll be sitting down to watch it. Now if Tom Lehman makes a run I might be interested because he's one of those soon to be Champions Tour player... and I'd kind of like to see him pull one off over the young guns on the PGA Tour.

What's In Padraig Harrington's Golf Bag? - Irish Open

Padraig Harrington won the 2007 Irish Open this last weekend at Adare Manor Golf Club in Limerick, Ireland. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Wilson Dd6 Buy Now
3 Wood: Callaway X Hot
5 Wood: Wilson Staff FwS
Hybrid: Wilson Staff Dh6
Irons:  (3-PW) Wilson Staff Pi5
SW:     Wilson Staff TW7
LW:     Wilson Staff TW7
Putter: Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1x

Padraig won in a playoff against Welshman Bradley Dred. Harrington shot a 71 and while Dred shot a 68 with both finishing at 5-under par. Padraig won on the first playoff hole, which was the 18th. The two golfers finished 4 shots ahead of the nearest competitor.

"I have always said the Irish Open is like a fifth major for me, and to win it, well, I'm just ecstatic," Harrington said. Thomas Bjorn was the defending champion who finished in a tie for 52nd place at +11. Padraig took home $562,633 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Padraig Harrington

What's In Phil Mickelson's Golf Bag? - The Players Championship

Phil Mickelson won the 2007 The Players Championship this last weekend at the famous or infamous TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Phil played his best golf on Sunday to cruise to a 2-shot victory at 11-under. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver:  Callaway FT-5 8.5°
3+ Wood: Callaway X Tour 13°
Hybrid:  Callaway 2H X Hybrid 18°
Hybrid:  Callaway 3H X Hybrid 21°
Irons    (5-PW) Callaway X-Forged
GW:      Callaway X-Tour 50°
SW:      Callaway X-Tour 55°
LW:      Callaway X-Tour 60°
Putter:  Odyssey PM prototype
Ball:    Callaway HX Tour

Phil was solid all day on Sunday hitting every fairway and 16 of 18 greens in regulation. Sean O'Hair gave him a run for the title until coming to the 17th island green where he proceeded to put 2 balls in the water and posted a quadruple-bogey 7. Phil bogeyed the last hole to win comfortably by 2-shots over Sergio Garcia who finished at 9-under. With the win Phil moved into the #2 spot in the World rankings overtaking Jim Furyk. Tiger Woods remains as the #1 golfer in the world. He took home $1,620,000 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Phil Mickelson

2007 Players Championship Goes To The 17th Island Green

What a weekend of golf at The Players Championship in Florida at the TPC Sawgrass. I watched every minute of the golf tournament this weekend and I wasn't disappointed. As a golf fan you had to appreciate how good these PGA pros are.

It seemed like I couldn't leave the room because I felt like I was going to miss some extraordinary golf shot or someone falling victim to the island green at the 17th hole. If you watched the golf play over the weekend then you saw 2-double ealges also know as an albatross. These things are supposed to come around once in a great while... not 2 times in 2 days. I also saw eagles from middle of the fairway and other shots that had no right going into the hole, but then again these guys are the best golfers in the world.

The TPC stadium island green 17th hole grabbed a few golfers by the throat and choked any chance they had of staying in contention. Rory Sabatini came to the 17th on Friday very much in contention and put one in the water... and walked away with a quadruple-bogey 7.

There were many others that feel victim to the 17th, but none were more painful to watch than Sean O'Hair's. Sean came to the 17th hole 2-shots down from Phil Micklson and in 2nd place all by himself, which was worth over $900,000. Sean decided to hit 9-iron straight at the pin where Micklson had just hit a pitching wedge to the middle of the green. Sean's shot had the flag covered, but it flew over the flag and straight into the water. Sean proceeded to the drop area and hit a knock-down wedge that skipped several times on the green and landed...

Sean's golf story growing up with his overbearing father was incredible and I felt myself and I'm sure many other golf fans routing for him to do well. Being paired with Phil in the last group had to have been a lot of pressure, but Sean seemeed to handled it like a veteran pro. Missing his very short birder putts on 15 and 16 proved to be very costly. If he had made only one of those then he wouldn't have had to go for the pin on 17 because he would've been only 1-shot behind Phil.

Sean's knock-down drop shot landed in the water and now he had to drop another ball hitting 5. He got this one on the green and 2-putted for a quadruple-bogey 7... and now tied for 6th place putting Sergio Garcia in 2nd place all by himself. Phil 2-putted for par and they both went to the 18th hole with Phil holding on to a 3-shot lead at 12-under.

Sean and Phil both hit great tee shots into the middle of the fairway. Phil hit first and made things really exciting with his approach shot. Hit a flare 5-iron that barely landed on the green and came about 8-inches from going into the water. They both bogeyed the whole and Phil won his first Players Championship.

I do have to admit that Phil's play on Sunday was awesome. He had great control over his entire game especially his driver. He hit every fairway and hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. The work he has done with Butch Harmon has done wonders for his confidence and ball striking. If Phil continues to progress like he has been then he'll be tough to beat come mid June for the US Open at Oakmont.

Phil took home around $1.6 million and Sean ended up in with a little over $200,000 and out of the top 10. If you do the math then the 17th hole cost Sean O'Hair around $700,000... ouch!

What's In Tiger's Golf Bag - Wachovia

Tiger Woods added the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Club Charlotte, North Carolina to his growing collection of trophies by shooting a closing round of 69, which included a 57-foot eagle putt. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 8.5°
3 Wood: Nike SasQuatch 2 15°
5 Wood: Nike Ignite T40 19°
Irons: (3-PW) Nike Blades
SW: Nike Pro Combo 56°
LW: Nike SV 60°
Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist prototype
Ball: Nike One Platinum

Tiger tore up the front nine on Sunday going out in 31, but had a very shaky back-nine that included a several bogies and a double-bogey. This probably would have made a difference if the other golfers chasing him didn't blow up as well on the back nine. Tiger made a great par on 18 to win by two shots at 13-under. Steve Stricker had going early in the round, but faultered a little and finished at 11-under. Tiger took home $1,134,000 for the win.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Tiger Woods

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs April 2007

Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of April 2007.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Titleist 905R Driver
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. Nike SasQuatch Driver
5. Callaway X-18 Iron set
6. TaylorMade r7 Quad Driver
7. TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver
8. TaylorMade r7 425 Driver
9. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
10. Mizuno MP 60 Iron set

For the 4th straight month The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. I've never played these clubs, but it sure looks like a lot of people do. The hottest golf club is the Nike SasQuatch Driver, which moved from #8 to #4. For the most part the top clubs for April are the same as they where for March with a few clubs swapping positions in the top 10.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of March 2007, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of March 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf equipment, Nike SasQuatch, Ping Eye
2

Golf SkyCaddie Is The Real Deal

A while back a made a post about the SkyCaddie by SkyGolf. It's a golf gadget (more like a tool) that uses GPS technology to give you yardage to the green, bunker, water hazard, etc... When I made that post I was pretty impressed with it, but now I have a different opinion.

I think the SkyCaddie is the best thing that has been developed for the game of golf since the metal wood. I got the SG2 SkyCaddie for Christmas and I've been using it everytime I go out and play a round of golf. I can't tell you how awesome this golf tool is.

I honestly think it's only a matter of time before these are approved for all kinds of play. The SkyCaddie probably saves me 2 to 3 strokes a round and that's a lot when you consider I'm playing to a 4.4 index. I can't imagine what the SkyCaddie would do for higher handicap player!

If you haven't heard about this then you're missing out. If you've been thinking about getting one then do it. You want regret it one bit.

I just checked on the price at GigaGolf.com and it's been reduced down to $279 with FREE Shipping. If you were thinking of getting the next latest and greatest driver or putter then you should definitely reconsider it and get the SkyCaddie instead. You'll immediately start reducing your scores.

What's In Scott Verplank's Golf Bag?

Scott Verplank won his 5th PGA Tour tournament last weekend at the 2007 EDS Byron Nelson Championship at the TPC at Four Seasons, TPC at Four Seasons-Las Colinas Irving, Texas. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: TaylorMade r7 425 9.5°
3 Wood: Taylormade 200 Tour
5 Wood: Taylormade 200 Tour
Irons:  (3-PW) TaylorMade rac Forged
SW:     Titleist Vokey Design 55°
LW:     Titleist Vokey Design 59°
Putter: PING Anser
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1

This was an emotional victory for Verplank because he grew up in Texas and had played several rounds with Byron Nelson when he was a kid. It was a tournament that he's been wanting to win for a long time. He would have loved to win it when Byron was still alive, but he felt he had his help from above from Byron.

It took everything Scott had to pull out his one shot victory over Luke Donald. Verplank birdied three straight holes and made an improbable par on 17 to secure the one shot victory over Donald. Scott finished with a 4-under 70 for a 13-under 267 total.

Eventhough Byron wasn't there to congratulate Scott for his victory, Byron's wife Peggy was there to do the honors. Scott took home $1,134,000 for the win and a custom-made motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers.

What's In Nick Watney's Golf Bag?

Nick Watney won his first PGA Tour tournament last weekend at the 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which was played at TPC of Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana. Chris Couch was the defending champion. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Titleist Pro Titanium 905R 11.5°
3-Wood: Fairway Metal Titleist PT 906F2 15°
Hybrid: Utility Metal Titleist PT 585.H 21°
Irons:  (3,4) Titleist 704.CB
Irons:  (5-PW) Titleist 695MB
SW:     Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 56°
LW:     Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 60°
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport Tour 350
Ball:   Titleist New Pro V1x

Nick started the round with a 2-shot lead and quickly gave it up after bogeying 2 of the first 4 holes. But he got those strokes back in a hurry by holing out his 132-yard approach shot for an eagle 2 on the 5th hole. He finished 15-under 237 total with his 3-under 69, which was 3 strokes better than Key Duke who finished with a 2-under 70. Nick took home $1,098,000 for the win.

Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs March 2007

I apologize for getting this out so late. Here are the Top 10 Hottest Golf Clubs for the month of March 2007.

1. Ping Eye 2 Iron set
2. Titleist 905R Driver
3. Ping G5 Driver
4. Callaway X-18 Iron set
5. TaylorMade r7 quad Driver
6. TaylorMade r5 Dual Driver
7. TaylorMade r7 460 Driver
8. Nike SasQuatch Driver
9. TaylorMade r7 425 Driver
10. Mizuno MP 60 Iron set

Believe it or not The Ping Eye 2 Iron set still holds the #1 spot. It really is amazing how popular these irons are. The hottest golf club is the Titleist 905R Driver, which moved from #5 to #2. The Mizuno MP 60 Iron set has fallen down to #10 after being in the #5 spot.

Just in case you missed it, here's my post of The Hottest Golf Clubs Of February, which is how the top 10 clubs finished for the month of February 2007.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, Ping Eye 2

What's In Boo Weekley's Golf Bag?

Boo Weekley won his first PGA Tour tournament last weekend at the 2007 Heritage Classic, which was played at Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Do you want to know what he was carrying in his golf bag during his win?

Driver: Cleveland HiBORE XL 9.5°
3 Wood: Cleveland HiBORE 15°
5 Wood: Cleveland HiBORE 19°
Hybrid: Cleveland HiBORE 18°
4 Iron: Cleveland TA7
5 Iron: Cleveland CG4
Irons:  (6-PW) Cleveland CG1
GW:     Cleveland CG10 52°
LW:     Cleveland CG10 58°
Putter: Never Compromise GM2 Exchange #7
Ball:   Titleist Pro V1x

Everyone was feeling for Boo who had missed a 3-foot put a month previous at the Honda Classic to win. He was struggling to keep the lead, but chipped in on 17 and 18 to save par and a 1 stroke victory over Ernie Els.

Along with the $972,000 Boo won, it gives him PGA Tour Exception through 2008. Weekly became the first PGA TOUR winner to qualify for next year's Masters after Augusta reinstated a privelege that was taken away in 1999.

Tag(s): golf, golf reviews, golf equipment, golf products, The Masters, Heritage Classic, Boo Weekley