Phil Mickelson thrilled the crowds yesterday with a spectacular 66 on day 3 of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His amazing stats demonstrated that there is more than one way to score low in golf.
Arguably one of the best wedge players of all time, yesterday he demonstrated that the faith of many was not wasted. His 9 for 9 ‘up-and-down’ day helped fuel his steady rise to the top of the leaderboard. To match his amazing day of scrambling, Mickelson was steady with the short stick. With only 21 putts, yesterday’s round of golf will likely be remembered as one of his best in years. Continue reading →
How to improve our golf game is a quest of all aspiring players. I have mentioned this before and trying to find that one golden tip or the perfect swing is daunting. I have researched, tried, invented (or made a version of) and butchered many golf drills. Created golf plans for the off-season. I have used videos, books, blogs, and magazines as a golf library looking for that one drill that will make me a better golfer! Continue reading →
Golf is an interesting game. You can swing less to hit far; hit to a shorter yardage on the fairway to set-up your next shot; hit a 3-wood of the tee to play safe; and use course management to avoid all trouble. But every once in a while, a player must hit an aggressive shot to score low! Continue reading →
Choosing the right golf ball may lower your score!
The feed back so far on my “Which golf ball is best for you” series has been inconclusive. Many players have selected their golf ball in the same way as me – feel, availability, and cost. The previous two posts, Part 1 and Part 2, have covered topics of construction and the number of pieces of a golf ball. To this point, this information provided a valuable insight into selecting a golf ball, but nothing conclusive.
This installment will include cover type, compression, and dimples. These three topics are important because they offer a greater selection for players who are looking for the right golf ball!
Golf Balls have two basic cover types: surlyn or urethane. Surlyn is a harder surface that is considered more durable and enhances distance. Urethane, which has replaced the balata cover, is softer and offers better feel and control; however urethane marks easier and is not as resilient.
“Golf compression rates determine what balls are used by different levels of golfers. Compression creates density in the golf ball, which may affect distance and loft. The golf ball is compressed and flattened by the force of the impact. The lower compression of the ball results in the ball ;travelling farther as the club’s energy creates energy, transferring it to the ball. The ball’s compression handles the high-speed and impact of the club, and allows flexibility so that the ball can recoil and not break apart.” (Golfsmith.com)
“Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball’s surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball’s surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.” (Scientific America)
The type of cover, compression and dimples all effect a golf ball’s performance. There are many thoughts and reasons to select a golf ball based on its construction. Yet, the increasing information about golf balls seems to confound my decision on which ball to choose.
As I learn more about golf balls, the more my choice becomes clearer and yet, more confusing. How about you?
Offering advice on any subject is tricky. Offering advice on a subject that you are not really familiar with does not make good sense. Offering advice while playing golf could be fatal! I have played thousands of rounds of golf and through the years I have offered unsolicited advice, solicited advice, and refused to give advice; but the one constant in everything was that it was always the wrong time!
Before anyone pulls out their Golf Canada rule book and starts quoting rule 8-1, and proceeds to tell me that “Advice’’ is any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke; I never give advice during a competition. If you are wondering, here is what others have to say: Continue reading →
The Grateful Golfer 