New Zealander Phillis Meti just shattered the Women’s U.S. Long Drive Competition record with a wallop of 349 yards. The shot was 22 yards longer than the drive she won the competition with in 2006, although she ended up coming in second in the all-important for the second consecutive year. So…what driver did she hit? In fact, it was a model that won’t hit store shelves until Nov. 12: The SMT DB Plus. The eight loyal readers of this blog will recall that SMT Golf, a small Illinois company, has been on quite a tear in the long-drive circuit of late. ... full post »

Mystery writer Roberta Isleib, creator of the Cassandra Burdette golf mystery series (Six Strokes Under, A Buried Lie, Putt to Death, Fairway to Heaven, Final Fore), concluded her popular golf-related series a couple of years ago. And her cadre of loyal golf-mystery fans mourned, despite the exceedingly high note upon which Cassie Burdette made her exit from sleuthing. Isleib’s newest series of mysteries focuses on advice-columnist Dr. Rebecca Butterman, who is led into the lives (and deaths) of her readers and others in her life. Isleib, who is a clinical psychologist herself, spins intricate plots and draws convincing characters. If you enjoyed ... full post »

Way back on Sept. 28, 2004, I wrote the following about Element 21 (e21) Scandium shafts, after returning form the Fall PGA Expo in Las Vegas: “… one of the most intriguing ‘revolutionary’ products was the Eagle One Pro Lite shaft by E21Golf (E21golf.com). What sets these apart, according E21’s Pete A’costa, is the use of Scandium, the 21st element in the periodic table. A’costa says the shafts are the lightest and longest metal shafts in the solar system. And I’ll admit, they did feel solid.” With the close of the “thrilling” 2008 FedEx Cup race, it has been made public that ... full post »

Vijay Singh won the FedEx Cup, and Paddy Harrington might take home Player of the Year. But Kenny Perry wins Whiner of the Year Award hands-down. In the October 3rd issue of GolfWorld, Jim Moriarty reports how Kenny Perry described the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta as, “the worst experience of my life, just about.” And what, pray tell, was so awful? Was Perry’s house foreclosed upon? Were his life-savings wiped out by medical expenses? Was he on the verge of shooting his family and himself because he was despondent over not being able to find work (as happened ... full post »