Furyk’s “Dooh!” Moment Leads to DQ…

You may have heard Jim Furyk overslept Wednesday after his cell phone alarm clock lost power overnight, causing him to be late for his pro-am tee time in The Barclays at the Ridgewood Country Club.  Under PGA Tour rules, that makes him ineligible for the tournament, the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events.

Per the story in The New York Times, Furyk, who is ranked third in the FedEx Cup standings, took responsibility for his cellphone calamity:

He said he set his cellphone’s alarm clock Tuesday night, but somehow the phone’s battery — which he thought he had charged fully — died overnight. He awoke at 7:23 a.m., seven minutes before his scheduled tee time, and threw on a shirt and pants.

Beltless, sockless, and with his shoes untied, Furyk rushed from his hotel to the course, but he was too late.

“I’m beside myself,” he said, his shoes still untied. “I have a way of climbing into stupid situations.”

On the Golf Channel, Furyk and Phil Mickelson weighed in with their take of the DQ rule.  Video (4:49)

Mickelson pointed out that the rule only applied to “half the field” and that it was “ridiculous.”

PowerMat seized the  opportunity. By noon on Thursday, a media alert crossed my desk with the subject:

Powermat: Because Waking Up Is the First Step to Winning the FedEx Cup

It referenced a CNBC report by Darren Rovell that said all Furyk really needed was a Powermat.  Per the alert, Powermat, the leader in wireless charging, is the fast, easy and hassle-free way to charge your cell phone while you sleep. Powermat simultaneously delivers real time, wireless charging to multiple electronic devices that have been enabled once with a Powermat receiver.  All you need to do before closing your eyes for the night is ‘drop and charge.

Maybe Powermat will step up and be a title sponsor of future Pro-Am events.

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Time to Update Rules? Things the USGA Should Consider…

In a recent post, Golfweek’s Adam Schupak proposed some rule changes for the USGA to ponder.

• Eliminate the white stakes for out-of-bounds. Stroke and distance is cruel and unjust punishment. OB should be marked by red stakes (penalty and drop at point of entry).
• A ball that moves without the intent of hitting should not be a penalty. This may create a gray area, but in a game of honor, I can live with that.
• If a pro signs his scorecard wrong, he shouldn’t be disqualified for a lower score or forced to accept the higher score. With all the electronic scoring and Shotlink tracking that exists, this rule is archaic.
• Allow a free drop from a divot in the fairway.
• Tamp down all the spike marks you want. The advent of spikeless spikes has done wonders for eliminating this problem, so let’s go ahead and eliminate another antiquated rule.

Do you agree?

What other rules would you like changed?

Personally, I would love to see one added — a shot clock!

Here’s a link to where you can read up on USGA rules.

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Dyeabolical No. 18 Truly Diabolical for Johnson…

On Sunday, Dustin Johnson learned how diabolical the No.18 – “Dyeabolical” hole at Whistling Straits can be.

Per Dictionary.com

He ended up being knocked out of the playoff at the PGA Championship on Sunday after he was penalized two strokes for grounding his club in a bunker he didn’t even realize existed.

“It never crossed my mind I was in a sand trap,” Johnson said. “I just thought it was a piece of dirt.”

According to written reports, course designer Pete Dye feels terrible for Dustin Johnson, said it was intended to be a waste bunker.

Whistling Straits was designed to mimic an old-style links course.  There are more than a thousand bunkers.  In fact, one AP story said, “Anytime the grounds crew trims the fescue, another emerges.”

They were warned, said Mark Wilson, co-chairman of the PGA of America rules committee.

“We made it the No. 1 item on our local rules sheet, simply to explain that all the bunkers were designed as sand bunkers and could be played that way.  That meant areas outside the ropes might contain footprints, heel prints, even tire tracks from golf carts or other vehicles.”

Rules Sheet Rules:

So Johnson is paying the price for not reading.  But who had his back?  His caddy missed it too.  And there were reports that a PGA official that was following Johnson’s group on the course didn’t give him a head’s up either.

Johnson ended up carding a 279 (pocketing $270,833).  But the winner, Martin Kaymer took $1,350,000.  For his second place effort, Bubba Watson made $810,000.

That, indeed was a costly penalty for not reading.

If you missed it, you can watch the shot here.

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A Look at Whistling Straits

The 2010 PGA Championship is now underway after a fog delay.  To see highlights, go to the special PGA.com championship website.

It is being played at Whistling Straits, located in Kohler, Wisconsin (two hours north of Chicago, one hour north of Milwaukee and one hour south of Green Bay).  Designed by Pete Dye (and his wife, Alice), Whistling Straits emulates the great old seaside links courses of the British Isles, invoking an image of the game founded more than 400 years ago. The Straits Course is open with rugged and windswept terrain. A more mature course than one would expect, golfers encounter huge sandy areas, deep pot bunkers, grass-topped dunes, big and undulating greens and majestic views of Lake Michigan from each of its 18 holes.   There are nearly 1000 bunkers.  Whistling Straits also features:

• Two miles of uninterrupted shoreline on Lake Michigan
• Eight holes hugging the Lake Michigan shoreline
• Bluffs and massive sand dune areas
• Natural fescue fairways
• A flock of Scottish Blackface sheep call the course home
• Elevation change on the course (Hole 15) is approximately 80 feet
• The Straits Course is a walking course; walking distance for 18 holes is approximately five miles
• There are three stone bridges at holes 9, 10 and 18.

To read more, go here.

And if you want a little “on course” experience, check out this video where Golfweek’s  Sean Martin accompanies Ryan Moore as he plays a practice round.

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59 on the Mind…

Last week, Jeff Rude of Golfweek did a post about Stuart Appleby’s phenomenal 59.  In his “Hate To Be Rude” column, he wrote:

Considering the abyss he so impressively climbed out of, Appleby’s closing 59 that clinched victory Sunday at the inaugural Greenbrier Classic ranks as one of the more remarkable feats I’ve seen in golf…

…Appleby’s story is one of belief. One can take things for granted as he scales and stands on a mountain. Getting back there is a greater challenge. It requires remembering and forgetting all at the same time.”

The emphasis of Rude’s piece was on mental toughness.  Appleby was asked whether confidence or good shots come first.

“You need to practice with your confidence,” he said. “You need to develop that on the range. You need to have that on the range, and then you carry that to the course and you make it valid from there. You don’t try and find it on the golf course…You’ll never find anything on a golf course.”

*****
Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle did a story on Monday about low scores on the PGA Tour.

“As the game’s top players gather at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin for this week’s PGA Championship, the talk of the summer – aside from Woods’ uncommon struggles – is the flurry of crazy-low rounds.”

And Tiger Woods was quoted saying, “It’s easier to get to now – it’s more attainable. …I think it goes to how much farther the golf ball is going and how much better the equipment and the players have become.”

Kroichick also pointed out the profile of the super low scorer include:

• Few elite players (beyond Stricker)
• Few huge power hitters (beyond Holmes and McIlroy)
• Few players known as big risk takers (e.g., Mickelson)

One thing’s for sure, the “funky, links-style Pete Dye layout” of Whispering Straits won’t be conducive for low scores.  In 2004, when Vijay Singh won there (he defeated Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard in a three-hole aggregate score playoff) he made a birdie on the 10th hole – his only birdie of the day.

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Pre-Register Now for the 2012 PGA Championship

This week, the PGA of America announced that in order to maximize each spectator’s experience for 2012 PGA Championship (6-12 August 2012) that is being held at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort near Charleston, S.C., the total number of spectators on the Ocean Course will be limited to approximately 27,000 spectators per day.

By comparison, the 91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2009 had more than 44,000 total spectators on its most crowded day. A drastic reduction of tickets available to the general public will take place in 2012 to ensure the best experience for all in attendance.

So if you are interested in going, the recommendation is to visit www.pga2012.com to pre-register for a six-week sales window between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31, 2010.

The Ocean Course, which Golf Digest rates as “America’s Toughest Course” and the “No. 4 Public Golf Course” in the country, was designed by Pete Dye.  Whistling Straits, home of this year’s 92nd PGA Championship, was also designed by Dye.

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See How a Putter is Made — Science Channel Show

Bettinardi Golf, maker of high quality 100% CNC putters, is being featured in the Science Channel TV Series “Factory Made” (Season 2-Episode 25).  The segment will focus on how a Bettinardi putter is milled from a single block of Mild Carbon Steel (Bettinardi’s One-Piece Technology).

Each and every Bettinardi putter passes through no less than 10 sets of hands in the manufacturing process to ensure the putters meet the exacting standards that Robert Bettinardi demands. The final step in the process is the application of the company’s Honeycomb™ face, the flattest surface possible to provide the highest level of performance.

The putters list for $365.

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PGA.com Unveils 2010 PGA Championship App

PGA.com has just released their FREE 2010 PGA Championship App in the iTunes App Store. This year’s PGA Championship App will provide live scoring and instant updates to golf fans at no charge during the 2010 PGA Championship from Aug. 12-15. The PGA Championship app also offers in-app purchase for $1.99 where users can upgrade to exclusive access of live video for the marquee groups on all four days of play including live video streaming of the par-3 holes at Whistling Straits.

It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

Features of the app include:

• Push Notifications: With push notifications, fans can receive instant custom alerts about their favorite players’ progress in addition to hole-by-hole scores, completion of rounds and other breaking news.
• Live Scoring and Customizable Leaderboard: The customizable leaderboard with live scoring has an easy to use front nine/back nine format, video highlights, player information, course information, news and updates. Notably, the app will also include a unique real-time Trends function to highlight notable leaderboard climbs, drops and streaks.
• Player Scorecards: Fans can choose between landscape or portrait mode to view any player’s scorecard.
• Video Highlights: Each day users can view a full array of video highlights and a collection of instructional clips from a PGA Professional.
• Breaking News: Provides frequent updates to storylines and news, as well as six additional notifications that are custom selected by users for following including: Tee Time reminder, Round Beginning, Round Completion, Double Bogeys (and higher), Birdies & Eagles and Hole-by-Hole Updates.

In addition to the PGA Championship App, Turner Sports will be offering 20 hours of television coverage on TNT, companion live video coverage will be available on PGA.com, and similar to The Masters, there will be groundbreaking 3D coverage online and through several television distributors.

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Wedge Rule Causing Confusion…

Golfweek’s James Achenbach has written a piece discussing the confusion being caused by the USGA’s  new wedge rule.  Apparently, 18-year-old rookie pro Sarah Brown, was wrongly removed from the course and disqualified from a Duramed Futures Tour event because two rules officials “blew the call.”  They insisted that Brown’s 54-degree Ping Tour-W wedge was nonconforming (old grooves) when, in fact, it turned out to be conforming (new grooves).

First of all, Ping Tour-W wedges “can be conforming or nonconforming, depending on when and for whom they were manufactured.”

Also, Achenbach noted that for almost all amateurs, the old grooves can be used in everyday play and in competition until 2024. It is only the so-called “elite” amateur tournaments that will require the new grooves at an earlier date, beginning in 2014. 

Not sure where our “rookie pro,” Ms. Brown fits in.

Achenbach calls for a “School of Grooves” to be set up to get golf associations, organizations and players educated.  Not a bad idea!

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iGolf Unveils FREE GPS Rangefinder For Android

L1 Technologies, parent company of the iGolf brand, has just announced the release of iGolf Mobile for Android. This FREE app includes professionally mapped GPS data and course listings for more than 33,000 golf courses worldwide. iGolf Mobile allows golfers to improve their scores by instantly finding accurate distances to key points on every hole for detailed shot planning and club selection.

Along with offering precise distance to the front, center, back of the green and custom points (bunkers, water, hazards) on mapped holes, golfers can also use the app to measure shot distance, keep score for up to four players and track handicap/statistics.

Access to the latest golf news and exclusive opinion articles, as well as independent course, equipment and travel destination reviews are available within iGolf Mobile. An interactive map of the first hole on every course, showing the distance to any point on the hole, is also included for free as a premium membership preview.

Golfers who upgrade to a Premium iGolf Membership (available for $5 monthly or $50 annual)  can access detailed, interactive hole maps with multi-level zoom.

iGolf Mobile is now available as a free download from the Android Market (search for “iGolf”) or visit iGolf Mobile – Android for additional details.

Source: iGolf

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Wedge-a-Day Giveaway Announced…

Boccieri Golf just announced the “Wedge-a-Day Giveaway,”  a 60-day promotion starting July 19 through which the company will provide a game-enhancing Heavy Wedge daily to randomly selected winners. One grand prize winner will also receive a custom-built, C2-DF Limited Edition Heavy Putter.

Open to residents of the continental U.S., the giveaway includes all shipping costs, with complete details available on the contest entry page.

Introduced earlier this year, the Heavy Wedge is a traditionally designed blade with a head mass only slightly heavier than a conventional wedge. It is available in a variety of lofts including 52 (8 degree bounce), 56 (11 degree bounce) and 60 (4 and 7 degrees of bounce).

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New Putter for Tiger?

Golfweek’s James Achenbach has the scoop…

Tiger Woods, who has won two British Opens at St. Andrews, announced on Tuesday that he is switching putters for the 2010 championship, which starts Thursday.

Woods will carry a Nike Method 001 blade putter into battle, replacing the Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 that he acquired at the Byron Nelson Classic in 1999.

He said the St. Andrews greens were running slow:

“I’ve always struggled when the greens are really slow. Using the new putter, he claimed, “It (the ball) comes off (the putter face) faster.”

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Great Weekend for Adidas/TaylorMade Golf…

It was an outstanding weekend for Adidas and TaylorMade Golf.  To start, Paul Goydos became the fourth player in PGA Tour history to shoot a round of 59 in competition — relying heavily on his TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spider putter.

“I’ve used the model now for over two years. I’ve had a couple of different ones, but for the most part that’s the same putter,” he said.

Other TaylorMade Golf sticks in his bag:

Driver: TaylorMade R9 (9.5 degree; Aldila NV 65 shaft)
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade R9 3-wood (13 degree)
Hybrids: TaylorMade Rescue TP FCT (17 degree) and TaylorMade Rescue TP (21 degree)
Irons (4-PW): TaylorMade R9
Wedges: TaylorMade TP xFT ZTP (54 and 58 degrees)

*****

For the LPGA U.S. Women’s Open, Paula Creamer tamed the greens of Oakmont (PA) using her new TaylorMade Daytona Kia Ma Ghost putter.  She averaged just over 30 putts per round (1.68 putts per hole).

In a Golfweek story, she was quoted saying, “Last week I went through two putters, and the week before I had a (Odyssey) 2-Ball. I went back to just the standard-looking putter. I think that helped a lot, because there is so much going on in these greens that you just have to focus on that.”

An off-the-shelf version of the Creamer putter runs $300 at The Golf Warehouse.

The rest of Paula Creamer’s equipment included:

Driver: TaylorMade R9 SuperTri (10.5 degree; Graphite Design Tour AD prototype shaft)
Fairway Woods: TaylorMade Burner 3-wood (15 degree; Aldila NVS 65 shaft); TaylorMade R9 5-wood (19 degree; Aldila NVS 65 shaft); TaylorMade r7 7-wood (20 degree; Nippon GT 700 shaft)
Hybrid: TaylorMade Rescue TP FCT (25 degree; Fujikura 270 shaft)
Irons (5-PW): TaylorMade R9
Wedges: TaylorMade rac (54 degrees); Titleist Vokey (58 degrees)

One last note…  On the TaylorMade Golf website, the company claims to be the manufacturer of the #1 Driver on the tour.

Off the golf course, Adidas had a huge day (and month) with their ball being used for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

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One Famous Quad to Another: Goydos Cards a 59

He was “famous” for the quadruple bogey he carded on the 14th hole at Pebble Beach during the AT&T Pro-Am back in February.

With that “quad,” Paul Goydos became one of four players score a “9″ on that hole.

On Thursday, at the John Deere Classic, Goydos joined another “party of four” with an outstanding score of 59 on the Par 71,TPC Deere Run course  which was softened by three days of intermittent rain.  He joins David Duval (1999 Bob Hope Classic – Final Round), Chip Beck (1991 Las Vegas Invitational at Sunrise Golf Course – 3rd round) and Al Geiberger, who was the first to shoot 59 (1977 Memphis Classic at Colonial Country Club – 2nd round).

An AP story quoted Goydos saying this about his performance:

“Today was a nuclear bomb. I don’t know where it came from. If I knew that, I wouldn’t be able to touch it.”

You can follow the John Deer Classic here.

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Doglegging it…New Putter Garners Superior Results for Moore

It’s no secret that Ryan Moore is one of our favorite golfers on the Tour.  His second place finish at the AT&T National was incredible.  Other “seconds” for Moore were where he placed in putting average and putts per round for the tournament and where he came in with total birdies.

Again, he defied common wisdom — this time by picking up a brand new putter on Tuesday, playing with it on Wednesday in a Pro-AM and then keeping it in his bag for all four rounds of the AT&T.

The club was a Custom MACHINE Putter by Dogleg Right Corporation.  The Custom TIG Welded Center Shaft putter that the he picked up from Dogleg Right’s Tour Rep, Ken McDonald, features a CNC milled hosel that is TIG-welded to a custom milled micro pocket in the putter head’s topline to create a Center Shafted setup, which is very easy for players to line up and stroke confidently.

The putter also features an interchangeable flange system (and therefore the Converter name) to allow the user to change the shape, weight, balance and MOI of the putter.  With its separate adjustable weighting system, players have the option of dialing in their ideal weight, up to 28 grams in as little as 1-gram increments.

The face of the putter has a unique VMG (Vertical Mill Groove) face mill pattern that helps produce a true forward roll, improved alignment optics and a soft yet solid and responsive feel.

There was no indication of how much fine-tuning Moore did with his putter.

In the post tournament press conference, Moore talked about his new putter, saying, “Something about the alignment of it, it’s just helping me see my lines a lot better.”

Note:  Moore was under no obligation to use the putter.

Suggested retail price: Custom MACHINE M2A Converter Putter with TIG Welded Center Shaft in 303 Stainless Steel starts at: $399.99.  MACHINE putters by Dogleg Right are sold through the company’s exclusive network of Authorized Fitters and Retailers as well as online through its website and golf forums such as Golfwrx.com and Puttertalk.com that it participates in.

For more information, go to Dogleg Right’s website.

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