When I tell people that I play golf and test golf equipment and get paid to do so, they often suggest that it must be the easiest, best gig there is. And while I agree that it’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, I wish folks could understand the difficulties inherent in attempting to plumb the depths of a course in just one round. Seriously. Quit smirking. Worse yet is trying to evaluate a new driver or fairway wood or wedge after taking just several dozen swings on the range and course. (NOTE: This is still ... full post »

You can call me a NIT-wit if you’d like, but I have yet to hear any convincing argument to keep the post-season college men’s basketball National Invitational Tournament (NIT) alive. Seriously, who cares? Looking at the NCAA Tournament Bracket, I count 66 teams, including the two that duke it out for the final spot. (BTW, I’m glad Duke lost, too.) So what, pray tell, do the winners of the NIT chant when they receive their trophy? “We’re number sixty-seven!” Wow. Impressive, guys. A consolation game is one thing. A consolation tournament is just pathetic. It’s equivalent to all the guys who ... full post »

I’m sure you’ve noticed that Tour pros often hit the range after a round to “work on some things” in their swing. This is just one of the many ways they differ from us hacks. Sure, most of us loosen up with a small bucket before a round. And the ill-advised among us might even try to “work on some things” before teeing off. Then, after the round, instead of hitting the range, we hit the 19th Hole. Why do Tour pros postpone any serious “work” on their swings until after the round? An obvious answer is that they don’t want ... full post »

Once upon a time, drivers were all about materials, mainly titanium and various alloys thereof. Then the Soviet Union collapsed, and titanium flooded the market. (OK, I don’t know for sure if the two events were related, but the first titanium used in clubs was billed as coming from Soviet tanks. I don’t know whether that was true or not either, but it makes a good story.) Next, the world teetered on the brink of war over the so-called “spring-like effect” of a driver. Remember when Arnold Palmer played Callaway’s ERC II in Europe, even though the club was deemed nonconforming ... full post »